DURHAM, N.H. – The University of Maine men’s hockey team learned Saturday night there is little margin for error on the road against a quality opponent.

The opportunistic University of New Hampshire Wildcats capitalized on some Black Bear mistakes and rode the goaltending of sophomore Kevin Regan to a 4-2 triumph at the Whittemore Center.

UNH improved to 6-3-1 overall, 5-1 in Hockey East, after winning its fourth straight. Maine fell to 9-3 and 4-2, respectively.

Maine built a pair of one-goal leads in the first period as power-play scores by Greg Moore and Michel Leveille sandwiched a five-on-three goal by UNH’s Daniel Winnik.

But a late first-period goal by sophomore defenseman Brad Flaishans on a harmless 55-foot wrist shot that was misplayed by freshman goalie Ben Bishop tied it up and gave UNH momentum which transferred into a game-winning power-play goal by Jacob Micflikier just 47 seconds into the second period.

A five-minute major and game misconduct assessed to Maine’s Brent Shepheard 3:21 into the game and a Rob Bellamy boarding call at the same time provided UNH with its five-on-three.

Leveille’s contact-to-the-head-elbowing call as the period ended supplied the opportunity for Micflikier to convert as he was parked at the far post and swept a Brett Hemingway pass into the empty net after Hemingway pounced on a Brian Yandle rebound.

Derek Damon rattled a power-play shot off the crossbar five minutes after Micflikier’s goal, and the Wildcats received a pivotal shorthanded goal from sophomore left wing Mike Radja with 3:27 left in the middle period after Billy Ryan coughed the puck up to Josh Ciocco.

Ciocco got a step on Ryan as he burst down the right wing and when his wrister kicked off Bishop’s pad to the far post, the unattended Radja deposited it into the half-empty net.

“Their guy [Keenan Hopson] was ahead of me, but I just kind of tugged him [with my stick], went around him, and snuck right in. Luckily, the rebound was there,” said Radja.

Bishop said he left a horrible rebound.

“I should have covered it up right away. It wasn’t a very hard shot,” said Bishop.

Ryan said he was to blame for coughing the puck up.

“I mishandled Derek’s [Damon] pass. I should have collected it. It was my fault,” said Ryan.

Ciocco said building a two-goal lead was “huge against a team like that” and it enabled the Wildcats to employ more of a passive, defense-oriented forecheck in the third period.

Moments later, Mike Lundin’s one-timer off a Jon Jankus pass hit the short-side post.

Regan was immense in the third period as he made nine saves, including point-blank gems off Bellamy and Josh Soares by squeezing his pads.

Regan said, “I felt better as the game went along. Every minute the game went along, we played better ‘D’ [defense]. I had a clear view of everything, and if there was a rebound, they cleared it. They stood on their head in front of me.”

He also said, “I got some good bounces.”

Maine coach Tim Whitehead said he thought his team played well “other than a few uncharacteristic mistakes.”

“We worked very hard, we won loose pucks, and we showed poise with the puck. And we had another strong third period. Regan was the best player on the ice,” said Whitehead, whose Bears outshot UNH 33-30.

Bishop took responsibility for the loss.

“That second goal totally changed the game. I was trying to deflect it into the corner and, unfortunately, it bounced off my stick and in,” said Bishop. “I played a horrible game. And we still almost came out with a victory. I think that shows a lot. Even when the goaltender plays bad, we still have a chance to win every game.”

Moore opened the scoring by redirecting a Hopson wrister from the point past Regan’s right skate.

Winnik equalized when his shot off a Micflikier pass hit the post and glanced in off Maine defenseman Travis Wight’s shin guard.

Leveille made it 2-1 when John Hopson gathered in a Lundin rebound and fed it across to him at the far post.

WILDCATS 4, BLACK BEARS 2

Maine (9-3) 2 0 0 – 2

UNH (6-3-1) 2 2 0 – 4

First period – 1. Maine, Moore 8 (K. Hopson, Soares), 2:39 (pp); 2. UNH, Winnik 5 (Micflikier, Hemingway), 3:43 (pp); 3. Maine, Leveille 5 (J. Hopson, M. Lundin), 16:28 (pp); 4. UNH, Flaishans 1 (Winnik, Hemingway), 18:34. Penalties: UNH, Switzer, obstruction-tripping, 1:54; Maine, Shepheard, five-minute major for hitting from behind, game misconduct, 3:21; Maine, Bellamy, boarding, 3:21; UNH, Smith, interference, 5:17; UNH, Hemingway, hitting from behind, 11:31; UNH, Charlebois, interference, 15:50; Maine, Leveille, contact to the head-elbowing, 20:00.

Second period – 5. UNH, Micflikier 4 (Hemingway, Yandle), :47 (pp); 6. UNH, Radja 2 (Ciocco), 16:33 (sh). Penalties: UNH, Ciocco, obstruction-hooking, 2:54; UNH, too many men on the ice (served by Fornataro), 4:16; Maine, Bellamy, boarding, 6:41; Maine, K. Hopson, obstruction-cross checking, 12:05; UNH, Murray, contact to the head-elbowing, 15:25.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties: Maine, Wight, obstruction-holding the stick, 16:56; UNH, Hutchins, holding, 17:09.

Shots on goal: Maine 14-10-9-33; UNH 11-13-6-30

Goaltenders: Maine, Bishop (30 shots-26 saves); UNH, Regan (33-31)

Power-play opportunities: Maine 2-7; UNH 2-6

High-percentage scoring chances: Maine 9-8-5-22; UNH 8-8-6-22

Attendance: 6,501