Francis Nault was back where he wanted to be Thursday night.

The freshman defenseman was moved up to right wing for Wednesday’s 4-2 win over Clarkson in their Everblades College Classic semifinal and he responded with the game-winning goal and an assist.

But Maine coach Shawn Walsh put him back on defense and moved sophomore defenseman Michael Schutte up to wing for Thursday’s 2-1 championship game win over Cornell.

“I’d rather play defense,” said Nault. “I’m not used to forward. I’ve played defense since I was little. It’s hard to adjust.”

He added that there is a lot to think about at forward like making sure you cover the points in the defensive zone and what to do when the puck goes in the corner and you have to switch assignments in the offensive zone.

“I also had to learn what to do on faceoffs,” said Nault.

He said having another converted defenseman, Kevin Clauson, on the left wing on his line helped considerably. And sophomore center Robert Liscak was informative and positive.

“Kevin told me about all the little stuff. He and Robert told me I’d be fine and I’d do a good job. I believed them,” said Nault, who had played a few shifts at forward during the third period of the Bears’ 3-2 win over UMass on Dec. 14.

They did most of the groundwork at the Wednesday morning practice.

“We just tried to keep things simple,” said Liscak. “Kevin and I tried to help Francis as much as we could. He had a little trouble adjusting in the first period. We talked him through everything during the game. We told him if there were any changes in the forecheck or the breakout. He’s a real smart player, so it wasn’t too hard for him. He got more comfortable as the game wore on. He did real well.”

Schutte played some forward for the Bears last season and Walsh, throughout his 17-year career at Maine, hasn’t hesitated to try a defenseman at forward.

“It’s a lot easier for a defenseman to adjust to forward than it is for a forward to adjust to playing defense,” said Walsh, who also said it is easier for defensemen like Nault and Schutte “because they’re offensive-minded.”

The Bear coach had to make some adjustments to his lineup for the Cornell game because freshman left wing Brendan Donovan, who returned to the lineup for the first time in eight games due to a lacerated kidney, reinjured the kidney against Clarkson.

“He had blood in his urine. He could be out for some time,” said Walsh, who also decided to bench Niko Dimitrakos for his lack of intensity and effort, particularly away from the puck.

Dimitrakos leads the team in points per game (1.1) and is the top returning point-getter.

Gray Shaneberger and Mike Mantenuto took their places in the lineup.

The result was a thorough defensive gem as Maine held Cornell to 12 shots on goal while peppering the Big Red net for 33.

“We played well in our own zone. The spent quite a bit of time in our zone but we didn’t let them get the puck to our net. We played a smart game,” said senior defenseman and co-captain A.J. Begg, who scored the game-winner.

“This was one of our best team wins and now we’re on a roll with three straight wins going into the toughest part of our schedule,” said junior defenseman and tournament MVP Peter Metcalf, who returned to the lineup after missing eight games with a sprained left knee.

Maine has now received four of its last eight goals from defensemen or defensemen who were playing forward at the time.

“I had a long talk with [NHL star] Paul Kariya before Christmas and he talked about how important it was for the defense to step up into the offense,” said Walsh. “It paid off.”

Walsh pointed out that his teams have “never lost in California or Florida.”

The team had a couple of days off to play golf or hit the beach before the Bears return home Sunday.

Maine sophomore center Marty Kariya extended his points streak to six games with an assist on Begg’s goal. He has three goals and six assists in that span.