ORONO – A desperate team energized by seven forwards returning from a one-game suspension proved to be too much to overcome for the University of Maine men’s hockey team Saturday night.

The University of New Hampshire built a 5-1 lead on goals from players who had to sit out Friday’s night’s loss to Maine, including two from junior right wing Colin Hemingway, and withstood a furious third-period rally to collect a critical 7-4 triumph at soldout Alfond Arena.

UNH’s first win in nine tries (0-7-1) at Orono since Jan. 8, 2000, snapped the Wildcats’ three-game losing streak and moved them into fourth place in Hockey East by a point over Maine. It also sewed up the season series 2-1.

UNH improved to 14-10-4 overall, 10-6-3 in Hockey East. The Black Bears fell to 18-10 and 11-8 and have now lost four Hockey East home games (6-4) for the first time since the 1999-2000 season (7-4-1).

UNH outshot Maine 42-29, including a 34-16 edge over the first two periods.

“They outworked us the first two periods. They’re a good team,” said Maine sophomore left wing Billy Ryan.

UNH coach Dick Umile said the first 40 minutes represented two of the best periods his team has played all season.

The Wildcats’ Trevor Smith scored the lone goal in the first period as UNH thoroughly dominated play. Only the spectacular goaltending of Maine sophomore Matt Lundin kept it close.

Late second-period goals 57 seconds apart by Greg Collins and Hemingway expanded the lead to 3-0 before Maine’s Greg Moore scored the first of his two goals to cut it to 3-1 with 59 seconds left.

But a Michel Leveille cross- checking penalty put UNH on the power play and Hemingway capitalized with just three seconds remaining. Maine coach Tim Whitehead and his players vigorously disputed the goal. They felt the puck clearly came out of the Maine zone for an offsides situation before UNH’s Jamie Fritsch shot it on net, which created Hemingway’s rebound goal.

Leveille pleaded the case and was kicked out of the game after referee Tim Benedetto assessed him 10-minute and game misconducts.

Josh Ciocco’s shorthanded goal off a two-on-one with Mike Radja, coming at the expense of freshman goalie Ben Bishop, made it 5-1 2:22 into the third period before the Bears rallied dramatically to within 5-4 on goals by Jon Jankus (4:54), Moore (12:00), and Ryan (18:34).

Ryan’s goal came after Bishop had been pulled in favor of an extra attacker.

Jacob Micflikier iced it with the first of his two empty-net goals after Maine had failed to get the puck deep into the UNH zone and Bishop headed to the bench prematurely.

“The seven [suspended players] of us talked about it and we knew we had to step up and win this game for our team. We knew we had to prove something,” said junior right wing Ciocco.

Hemingway said their emotions were running high in the first two periods “because the seven of us were so excited to get back into the lineup and everybody knew how important the game was.”

Maine senior center Derek Damon said UNH “played with heart tonight and we weren’t able to match their intensity in the first two periods. But we didn’t quit. I’m pretty proud to be a part of this team right now.”

Ciocco said the game’s last eight minutes “were the longest eight minutes of my college career.”

Smith opened the scoring with a 25-foot one-timer off a Brian Pouliot steal and pass, and Collins directed a Chris Murray pass past Matt Lundin after knocking the stick out of defenseman Mike Lundin’s hands.

Hemingway converted a third rebound for his first goal and, after Moore’s rising 30-foot wrister beat Jeff Pietrasiak glove side from the middle of the slot, he quickly recaptured the momentum.

“I was going to the net, Fritsch put it on net, and I was right on the doorstep. I was able to squeak it in,” said Hemingway.

Ciocco’s shorthander came off a 28-foot wrister over Bishop’s glove.

“He gave me the far side and I was just trying to get it over there, ” said Ciocco.

Jankus and Ryan scored off wild multiple-shot scrambles, and Moore’s second goal came off a wrister from a difficult angle to Pietrasiak’s left.

WILDCATS 7, BLACK BEARS 4

New Hampshire (14-10-4) 1 3 3 – 7

Maine (18-10) 0 1 3 – 4

First period – 1. UNH, Smith 4 (Pouliot, Pollastrone), 11:38. Penalties: Maine, Danis-Pepin, obstruction-interference, 3:03; UNH, Yandle, hooking, 9:03.

Second period – 2. UNH, Collins 3 (Murray, Fortney), 15:28; 3. UNH, Hemingway 13 (Charlebois, Micflikier), 16:25; 4. Maine, Moore 19 (Leveille, Ryan), 19:01; 5. UNH, Hemingway 14 (Fritsch), 19:57. Penalties: Maine, Leveille, high sticking, 16:29; Maine, Leveille, cross checking, 19:36; Maine, Leveille, 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct, 19:57.

Third period – 6. UNH, Ciocco 3 (Radja), 2:22 (sh); 7. Maine, Jankus 6 (Johnson), 4:54; 8. Maine, Moore 20 (unassisted), 12:00; 9. Maine, Ryan 6 (Damon, Hamilton), 18:34; 10. UNH, Micflikier (Fritsch), 18:54 (en); 11. UNH, Micflikier (Hemingway, Murray), 19:57 (en). Penalties: UNH, Switzer, holding the stick, 2:08; UNH, Switzer, slashing, 5:49; Maine, Ryan, roughing, 13:04; UNH, Leach, roughing and hitting after the whistle, 13:04; Maine, Soares, obstruction-interference, 13:39.

Shots on goal: UNH 16-18-8-42; Maine 5-11-13-29

Goaltenders: UNH, Pietrasiak (29 shots-25 saves); Maine, Lundin (34-30), Bishop (0:00 of 3rd, 6-5)

Power-play opportunities: UNH 1 of 3; Maine 0 of 4

High-percentage scoring chances: UNH 13-10-9-32; Maine 6-7-9-22

Attendance: 5,641 (sellout)