The boys from Orono made it four in a row with their 3-2 win over the Bentley Falcons Saturday night in Portland.

"Black Bears Take Over Portland," read the backs of the Naked Five, who, along with the Black Bears Pep Band, turned the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland into Alfond South.

The over 6,000 capacity minor league hockey arena was packed to the brim as Black Bear Nation turned out in droves to ensure their team didn't lose any home-ice advantage. The semi-annual Portland-hosted game had the feeling of a homecoming as the abundance of UMaine graduates based in Southern Maine took over bars and restaurants throughout Portland's peninsula leading up to the game.

In past games played in Portland, the Cross Insurance Arena has often been left feeling rather desolate as masses of maroon seats remained empty, calling into question the need for hosting an off-campus game.

But not this year.

The resurgence of the men's hockey program under third-year head coach Ben Barr and his team's early season on-ice success has re-captivated the entire state's passion for its most popular team.

The team that Black Bear fans across the state are hoping to rekindle the glory days of the 90s and early 2000s remained, for the most part, largely unchanged from their road victory against Union on Wednesday. Maine's fourth forward line saw the only changes as Cole Hanson, who is said to have been dealing with a finger issue all season, returned to the lineup after missing the past three games. Joining Hanson on the line centered by Félix Trudeau was Nicholas Niemo, who, along with Harrison Scott, transferred over the summer from Bentley and was reinserted into the lineup to face his old team.

The sold-out crowd was not given much to cheer about to start the game as the Falcons outskated and outplayed the Black Bears for most of the first period. The slow start could be attributed to this contest being Maine's fourth in just nine days. A grueling stretch at the end of an early season schedule packed with big games against the nation's best teams.

Bentley came out looking more energized than the Black Bears, who struggled to keep the Falcons at bay. Bentley used their blistering team speed to cut through the neutral zone and drive towards Victor Ostman in the Maine net. Once in Maine's zone, the Falcons had much success cycling the puck and squeezing past Black Bear defenders. Their forwards were incredibly slippery, utilizing their speed and small size to slip by Maine's body checks, pulling the Black Bears out of position. Their passing on the cycle in Maine's zone was equally as quick. The Falcons excelled at creatively putting pucks in open areas of the offensive zone and using this speed to beat the Bears to it.

Bentley was superior in their one-on-one battles at the half-boards on either end of the ice, severely hampering any of Maine's success at executing breakouts. All while quickly and crisply breaking the puck out of their own zone with considerable success.

When Maine did have the puck, they often fumbled it, misplaying passes or even completely whiffing on it. Perhaps it was the ice that was hindering the usually crisp Black Bears. The ice looked charred up, which caused the puck to not settle down and often flip up and off Maine sticks. Even in the pre-game warmup, the Black Bears struggled with controlling the puck and their passes.

Or maybe the ridiculous amount of advertisements plastered over every inch of the ice was distracting the Maine puck handlers. But Bentley was playing on the same sheet of ice and simply out-played the Black Bears for much of the first period.

Bentley's defense was also superior to Maine's early in the game. Impenetrable for much of the first frame, not allowing the Black Bears any clean entries into the zone, solid on the blueline, the Flacons forced Maine to put pucks in deep, where the Black Bears were often out-battled and out-fought.

But the Falcons could not capitalize on their first-period dominance, ringing a shot off the crossbar but still unable to break the always sturdy Ostman. As the period wore on, Maine established themselves into the game more. With about five minutes left in the opening frame, the Black Bears started to have more success keeping the puck in their offensive zone and setting up dangerous looks on the Bentley net.

Much of Maine's increasing success hinged on their defensemen's ability to hold on to the puck and make poised passes from the point. The Falcons excelled at pressing the Black Bear defensemen when Maine held the puck inside the blue line while on the attack. Bentley's forwards were so quick to get out to the point and in the face of Maine's puck handlers. Not only did this high press not allow Maine's defensemen any open looks on net, but it compounded with the Black Bears struggling to control the often on-edge puck. Too many times, Maine's play at the point often led to turnovers, which then allowed Bentley to showcase their blistering speed through neutral ice.

But as the period wore on, Maine's defensemen grew into the game. Becoming better at controlling the rolling puck and making poised, accurate passes from the point, Maine could keep the puck cycling around the Bentley net for extended periods of time and even finally set up some great scoring chances.

The defensive pair of the two Brandons: Chabrier and Holt, excelled in this aspect of the game and were pivotal in sparking Maines' offensive momentum. Both are excellent skaters, especially laterally, which allows them increased success at walking along the blueline while staying poised with the puck, not letting Bentley's quick pressure result in turnovers as the two could outmaneuver the Falcons' press. This movement from the point also moved around Bentley's defense, allowing Black Bears to find open ice for passes or the defensemen an open lane to shoot the puck on net.

With an increased presence in the game, Maine was able to get into the dressing room for the first intermission, with the game still scoreless and the momentum beginning to creep the Black Bears way.

Maine, who was so far being out-hit by the smaller Falcons, really started to pick up their physical presence in the second period. The increase in scrappy play, especially on the forecheck, started to hamper Bentley's quick play up the ice as the Falcons, being bombarded with Black Bear bodies, were forced to rush their passes and make mistakes before they were inevitably crunched into the glass.

Along with this, Maine was beginning to read the play more intelligently, putting themselves in better positions to pick off the now-rushed Bentley passes. In the first period, the Falcons were much better in the neutral zone as their accurate stretch passes broke through Maine's defensive lines. But now, Bentley struggled to find these outlet passes with the same regularity under this defensive tweak.

While not totally shutting down Bentley's offense, these small changes in Maine's defensive structure allowed Maine's skilled forwards more controlled time with the puck. The Nadeau brothers, kept unusually quiet Wednesday night at Union, were once again double-teamed and whacked at all night. It was clear that Bentley was following Union's game plan of shutting down Maine's offense by shutting down its top forwards.

Midway through the second, a Maine powerplay allowed the Black Bear's skilled forwards to get their shooting gloves into the game. Maine's team identity, which hinges on out-working their opponent in order to open up space to make plays, wasn't quite coming off Saturday night. But having your most skilled and potent goal scorers step up to take the game by the scruff of the neck is quite the commodity to be blessed with.

The New Brunswick line consisting of the Nadeau brothers and Lynden Breen went up another level as the second period went along. Bentley didn't give the line any time or space; every inch of open space and millisecond of time had to be fiercely fought for. But just because they are a skill-line doesn't mean they aren't hard-working. Their persistence and heart began to wear down the Bentley defense as they pestered the Falcons goaltender with shot after shot. The Falcons netminder came up with big save after big save matching Ostman's own excellent performance.

But a little over halfway through the game, one of Maine's least dangerous-looking scoring opportunities happened to be the one that broke the scoreless game. A tenacious, hard-working Bradly Nadau kept with the play and stole the puck from Bentley's breakout with a dogged backcheck. With most of the Falcons flying towards the other end of the ice, the turnover had the Bears in acres of space for one of the first times all evening.

Bradly found Lynden Breen, who made a fabulously deft pass towards goal where a charging Josh Nadeau could make a clever little one-time deflecting shot to poke the puck into the back of the Bentley net. Black Bear Nation erupted as Southern Maine was finally privileged to witness the magic of the Nadeau show, created by a mix of hard, tenacious work and intelligent, creative skill.

But the Falcons did not back down, coming right back and clanking a shot off the post. The ringing of rubber on steel echoed off the large arena's metal rafters. It signified that the Black Bears could not let up as the contest paused for the second intermission, with Maine up 1-0.

Bentley came out in the third with an explosive response. It was their turn to stress the Maine goaltender, who dealt well with the pressure. Ostman battled well, fighting to read the play through the traffic in front of his net and sending rebounds to safe areas of the ice. His teammates in front of him were as determined as the big Swede in preserving Maine's what-could-be first shutout of the season, sacrificing their bodies to block plenty of shots.

But halfway through the third period, the Falcons were deservingly rewarded for their effort, tying up the game with a chance created from a wraparound the net, which snuck under Ostman's pad. Two minutes later, Bentley took the lead, silencing the Portland crowd. A Maine scoring rush of their own led to a turnover, which Bentley's speed on the transition through the neutral zone was able to capitalize on with a silky backhanded shot that beat Ostman on the glove side.

As soon as Maine lost their lead, they immediately responded. This time, the Black Bears newly designed fourth line got in on the act. Defensemen Brandon Chabrier, once again poised with the puck at the blue line, created space and fired a shot on goal where the rebound kicked out kindly to Cole Hanson, who made sure to bury the puck into the back of the net with purpose. The junior from North Dakota's first goal of the season sent the large crowd into joyous rapture.

The game-tying goal sent the already free-flowing back-and-forth contest into a fever pitch. Now buoyed by the raucous atmosphere, Maine picked their game up to a whole other level as Black Bear Nation urged their team forward, baying for the go-ahead goal.

The Maine fanatical wouldn't have to wait for this much longer as the pulsating affair created plenty of chaos in the game's final minutes. Bradly Nadeau took a massive hit on the rush. It knocked his helmet off and forced the dazed forward to change. Bentley took the puck up the other end of the ice, where Maine was able to absorb the rush before sending the play right back from whence it came. Josh Nadeau and Ben Poisson raced up the ice on a 2-0n-1. With the puck, Josh looked off the charging Poisson before wristing a perfect shot past the Bentley goaltender, sending Alfond South into a frenzy that could have been heard back up in Orono.

The game's final minutes trickled down with Ostman forced into action, coming up with a couple big-time saves that "oohed" and "aahed" the tense crowd. The Black Bears held on, closing out their third-period comeback and sending the Portland crowd home happy.

Once again, it wasn't the prettiest win, as Maine at times looked outmatched by an on-paper inferior Bentley side. But they ground out the desired result, and that's all that matters.

All wins look the same on the scoreboard and in the standings.

Maine's legs and minds looked tired. And fairly enough, playing four games in nine days with a long midweek bus trip down to Schenectady would cause problems for any team. But this team once again overcame adversity and got the job done.

It was a gritty victory. A performance that showcased the enormous heart these Black Bears have. To come from behind even while not playing near your best is such an outstanding trait for a team to have. One that is absolutely necessary for any hockey team with championship ambitions.

The Bears are beginning to smell the scent of trophies not sniffed in decades.

The best part? This team is only getting better.

Even the most optimistic of Black Bear supporters could not have foreseen the heights Ben Barr has taken this team to this season and under his tenure. With ten wins before the semester ends and one of the most challenging schedules in the college game already completed, the Black Bears deserve their #3 ranking in the Pairwise and #8 in the polls.

Maine is marching back to where it belongs, at the top echelon of the college hockey world.

The Black Bears have rightfully put Maine hockey back on the map. It is great that the entire state gets to rejoice and enjoy the incredible story unfolding in front of our very eyes.

This is only the beginning.

The only negative is that we have to wait three weeks to see the Black Bears back in action.

What a time to be alive.