NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The University of Maine hockey team reversed a recent trend and left the Volpe Complex Rink with a 6-2 Hockey East win over Merrimack College on Saturday night.

Maine had surrendered eight third-period goals in its last three games but blanked the Warriors on Saturday and put the game away with three goals themselves, including two in the first 1:03 of the final period.

The Bears are now 13-9-1 overall, 5-6-1 in Hockey East. Merrimack, which beat Maine 3-1 on Friday, fell to 6-13-1, 3-8-1.

Senior center Dan Shermerhorn snapped a six-game goal-scoring drought by batting a waist-high Steve Kariya pass out of the air to break a 2-2 tie 8:11 into the second period.

Shawn Wansborough converted a Kariya pass 47 seconds into the third period to give the Bears a 4-2 lead and, just 16 seconds later, Marcus Gustafsson redirected a David Cullen shot behind Merrimack goalie Martin Legault to make it 5-2.

Freshmen linemates Ben Guite and Cory Larose collaborated on an insurance goal with 5:30 remaining as Guite beat Legault for his third goal of the year and third in the last four games.

Maine had bolted to a 2-0 lead on power-play goals 1:36 apart by Shawn Mansoff and Jeff Libby but Merrimack equalized on power-play goals by Darrel Scoville in the first period and Casey Kesselring in the second period.

“This was the best game we’ve played since I’ve been back,” said Maine coach Shawn Walsh, who has now coached six games after returning from a one-year suspension for NCAA violations. “I only wish the game had been played at home so the fans could have appreciated the players’ efforts. Everybody contributed.

“What we needed to do on Saturday was generate more team speed, be more physical and get to the net and we did all three,” Walsh added.

“We put together a full 60 minutes,” agreed sophomore right winger Kariya.

“We put them away in the third period this time,” said left winger Wansborough.

Kariya and Wansborough had Shermerhorn centering them because goal-scoring leader Scott Parmentier was sidelined by a shoulder injury.

The Bears outshot Merrimack 47-22.

Kariya’s pass to Shermerhorn for the game-winner was aided by a Merrimack defenseman.

“I was trying to make a saucer pass but it hit one of their defenseman’s sticks [and stayed airborne],” said Kariya, who was stationed behind the net. “Shermy reacted quickly. It was a great goal by him.”

A saucer pass is a little flip pass that lands on the ice.

Wansborough’s goal came about when he trailed a two-on-two, thus creating a three-on-two.

“I delayed a bit and skated off to the side,” said Kariya. “One of their defensemen came to me so I got it to Wansborough. He made a great shot.”

“The defenseman tried to intercept the pass and just missed it,” said Wansborough. “[As a result] He was going the wrong way and I got by him. I put the shot low to the blocker [far] side.”

Gustafsson’s tip-in was his fifth goal in the last six games.

“Those goals gave us some breathing room,” Walsh said.

Freshman goalie Alfie Michaud made 20 saves en route to his eighth win.

Black Bears 6, Warriors 2

Maine 2 1 3 – 6 Merrimack 1 1 0 – 2

First period – 1. Maine, S. Mansoff 4 (Stewart), 5:30, pp; 2. Maine, Libby 2 (Larose, Gustafsson), 7:06, pp; 3. Merrimack, Scoville 2 (Guzior, Johnson), 10:51, pp; Penalties – Merrimack, Feeley, five-minute major for hitting from behind, game misconduct, 2:41; Merrimack, Johnson, holding, 6:11; Maine, Shermerhorn, holding, 6:11; Merrimack, Krauss, hitting after the whistle, 6:50; Maine, Shermerhorn, interference, 10:29; Merrimack, Infanger, interference, 12:08.

Second period – 4. Merrimack, Kesselring 2 (Johnson, Laroche), 6:39, pp; 5. Maine, Shermerhorn 9 (Kariya), 8:11. Penalties – Maine, Wansborough, interference, :35; Maine, Shermerhorn, tripping, 3:00; Merrimack, Krauss, high sticking, 3:00; Maine, Vitorino, high sticking, 5:40.

Third period – 6. Maine, Wansborough 10 (Kariya), :47; 7. Maine, Gustafsson, 7 (Cullen), 1:03; 8. Maine, Guite 3 (Larose), 14:30; Penalties – Merrimack, Grelle, high sticking, 6:17; Maine, Roenick, holding, 7:00; Merrimack, Weichselbaumer, hooking, 9:55; Maine, Eck, holding, 11:49; Maine, Gustafsson, holding the stick, 18:03; Merrimack, Scoville, unsportsmanlike conduct, 18:49; Maine, S. Mansoff, holding, 19:39.

Shots on goal: Maine 22-13-12 – 47; Merrimack 8-10-4 – 22

Goaltenders: Maine, Alfie Michaud; Merrimack, Martin Legault (43-37), Eric Thibdeault (4-4)

Power-play opportunities: Maine 2-6, Merrimack 2-7

Attendance: 1,619