ORONO – The University of Maine’s power play entered Friday night’s Hockey East game against the University of Vermont in a 3-for-36 slump.

It is no longer in a slump.

Maine scored four power- play goals in its first six attempts and freshman Dave Wilson, making his first start in place of the injured Ben Bishop, finished with a stellar 32-save performance as Maine posted an impressive 5-1 victory at Alfond Arena.

Maine had the nation’s best power-play percentage (24.4 percent) despite its recent struggles while Vermont had the nation’s best penalty-killing percentage at 91 percent.

Vermont hadn’t allowed more than two power-play goals in a game this season.

Senior defenseman Mike Lundin, who lost 10 pounds due to sickness and didn’t practice until a brief stint on Thursday, scored a pair of power-play goals as Maine improved to 18-8-2 overall and 11-8-1 in Hockey East.

Vermont fell to 15-10-4 and 10-6-4, respectively.

The teams finish their series tonight at 8.

It was only the second time this season UVM had given up more than four goals in a game.

“I was very happy [with the way things went],” said Wilson, who finished with 15 Grade-A saves. “I felt very comfortable and very confident the whole game. I felt I challenged up and was able to control my rebounds.”

Lundin added, “He was huge for us.”

Maine’s Josh Soares scored the only goal in the evenly played first period, an even-strength score, before Keenan Hopson triggered a four-goal second-period flurry at the 3:47 mark.

The goals, all on the power play, came 8:09 apart.

Lundin scored his two goals 1:51 apart before Mike Hamilton capped the spree at the 11:56 mark.

Freshman center Jay Anctil ruined Wilson’s shutout bid with 8:57 remaining. It was his first college goal and was set up by Andy Coran.

Hamilton had two assists to go with his goal while Teddy Purcell, Michel Leveille and Billy Ryan also picked up two assists.

Soares’ 16th goal of the season and 12th in his last 15 games came off a two-on-one with Ryan. Travis Ramsey also picked up an assist, his first point in 22 games.

“Billy got the puck to me [in the neutral zone],” said Soares, who busted down the right wing with Ryan heading to the far post. “I gave Billy a look-off and I saw the short-side corner open. [UVM goalie Joe] Fallon was leaning a little so I put it up over his glove.”

Fallon entered the game with the nation’s lowest goals-against average at 1.66.

Hopson made it 2-0 with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle off a cross-ice pass from Keith Johnson that somehow eluded Fallon.

“It went under his arm blocker side,” said Soares, who was driving to the net. “I don’t know if one of their defensemen deflected it or not.”

Lundin made it 3-0 when he took a Michel Leveille pass and fired a low drive from the right point that deflected past Fallon.

“It was going wide but it hit one of their shin pads,” said Lundin.

UVM’s Viktor Stalberg was then assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for a hit-from-behind on Maine’s Bret Tyler and Maine capitalized twice.

Lundin scored with a high screened wrister from the right point.

“I was going to pass it over to [Leveille] but one of their guys was in the passing lane. So I tried to put a low shot on net but it soared on me,” said Lundin, whose wrister sailed over Fallon’s glove short side.

Mike Hamilton made it 5-0 when he tipped Teddy Purcell’s wrister from the high slot behind Fallon.

Fallon was then replaced by Mike Spillane.

Maine senior center and captain Leveille said there was “no mystery” to Maine’s power play.

“We just got pucks through to the net,” said Leveille.

“We just kept things simple,” said Soares. “We got traffic in front.”

Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said his Catamounts played well five-on-five but “stunk the joint out” on special teams.

“We left a lot of seams open and they shot the puck well,” said Sneddon. “We didn’t play well from the net out.”

He added that he was impressed with Wilson’s performance, saying “he deserves a lot of credit. He played a heckuva’ game.”

Maine killed all six Vermont power plays.

Shane Foley replaced Wilson with 1:47 left and Wilson received a loud ovation from the crowd.

“That was very emotional,” said Wilson.

Vermont outshot Maine 33-32.

BLACK BEARS 5, CATAMOUNTS 1

Vermont (record) 0 0 1 – 1

Maine (18-8-2) 1 4 0 – 5

First period – 1. Maine, Soares 16 (Ryan, Ramsey), 16:41. Penalties: UVM, Cullity, cross checking, 7:15; Maine, Leveille, high sticking, 10:24.

Second period – 2. Maine, Hopson 6 (Johnson, Ryan), 3:47 (pp); 3. Maine, Lundin 5 (Leveille, Hamilton), 7:49 (pp); 4. Maine, Lundin 6 (Hamilton, Purcell), 9:40 (pp); 5. Maine, Hamilton 7 (Purcell, Leveille), 11:56 (pp). Penalties: Maine, Johnson, contact to the head-high sticking, :09; UVM, Roloff, obstruction-holding, 3:20; Maine, Bellamy, boarding, 4:19; UVM, Anctil, charging, 7:12; UVM, Stalberg, five-minute major for hitting from behind and game misconduct, 8:53; Maine, Hopson, tripping, 17:38.

Third period – 6. UVM, Auctil 1 (Corran, Collingham), 11:03. Penalties: Maine, Purcell, interference, 8:15; Maine, Plaszcz, holding, 11:25; UVM, Lutz, hooking, 11:50; UVM, Vock, tripping, 15:54.

Shots on goal: Vermont 11-12-10-33; Maine 13-7-12-32

Goaltenders: Vermont, Fallon (19 shots-14 saves), Spillane (11:56 of 2nd, 13-13); Maine, Wilson (33-32), Foley (18:13 of 3rd, 0-0)

Power-play opportunities: Vermont 0 of 4; Maine 4 of 8

High-percentage scoring chances: Vermont 7-6-6-19; Maine 5-4-6-15

Attendance: 5,445