ORONO — When your brother might very well be the best hockey defenseman on the planet, you need to do something to stand out in your own right.

Taylor Makar is doing that now for the University of Maine men’s hockey team.

Makar scored his first career hat trick Friday night, leading fifth-ranked Maine to a 4-1 win over Vermont in front of an Alfond Arena-crowd of 4,703 that included his parents, Gary and Laura Makar.

“He’s playing great. Not much more to say,” Maine coach Ben Barr said of Makar. “He’s playing the right way and getting rewarded for it.”

Maine improved to 20-6-5, giving the Black Bears back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time in 18 years. The victory also solidified Maine’s hold on second place in the Hockey East standings. The Black Bears have a five-point cushion over third-place Boston University and can clinch second place with a win Saturday against Vermont.

The hat trick, which included Makar’s first two power-play goals of the season, gave him 10 goals in his last nine games. In three seasons at UMass, Makar scored a combined 15 goals. He has 16 goals this season, tied with Harrison Scott for the team lead.

“I tell him every game, he’s due for a goal here. But he scores every game, so that doesn’t really make sense,” said Nolan Renwick, who has centered Makar’s line most of the season. “He’s been playing great. He’s really come into his own as a power forward that has offensive upside but can play a physical game.”

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Makar is the younger brother of Cale Makar, the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche and a Hobey Baker winner as college hockey’s top player at UMass in 2019. Taylor transferred to Maine for his senior year after three seasons at UMass.

Makar’s 27 points are second on the team, behind Scott’s 31. He said his hot streak is the result of moving his legs, and developing chemistry with Renwick and whoever has been on the line with them. Friday, it was Charlie Russell, who had the second assist on Makar’s third goal.

“Nothing happens without my linemates and the team, and obviously it’s good to get that win,” Makar said. “Just playing hard, having a heavy stick, and trying to get the details down. Overall, just playing a good game.”

Makar’s first goal was at 19:14 of the first period. Defenseman Frank Djurasevic faked a shot from the point and found Makar on the doorstep with a pass that Makar was able to tap past Vermont goalie Axel Mangbo.

His second goal came with the Black Bears on a 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second period, minutes after killing a 5-on-3 opportunity for the Catamounts. This time, Makar deflected Djuarasevic’s shot for a 2-0 lead.

“Great play by Frank on the first one. Great retrieval on the power play. Second one, it ended up hitting my shin pad and going in,” said Makar, a native of Calgary, Alberta.

Makar’s third goal came midway through the third period, two minutes after Vermont’s Isak Walther cut Maine’s lead to 2-1. After Mangbo made a right pad save on a Brandon Chabrier shot, Makar was there to knock home the rebound.

“That was the simplest play of the night. We win a battle in the corner, chip the puck to a guy in the neutral zone, (Charbier) had a great shot, put it on the far pad, and drive the net,” Barr said. “It’s the simplest hockey. You learn that when you’re 10 years old. If you’re really good at the simple things, usually good things will happen.”

Makar knew it was his first hat trick. When told he scored his first two power-play goals of the season, Makar was surprised.

“Better late than never, I guess,” he said.