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The math for the University of Maine men’s hockey team is simple, even if the execution will be difficult. To reach the NCAA tournament for a third consecutive season, there’s one path: repeat as Hockey East champion and earn the conference’s automatic bid.

These final regular-season games are about making that path a little easier by climbing in the Hockey East standings. A 4-0 win over Northeastern on Friday at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland was a step down that rocky path. It was Maine’s third straight win and vaulted the Black Bears into fifth place. The top five teams advance straight to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Maine would be assured of no worse than fifth place if it wins its final two regular-season games in regulation.

“Honestly, I don’t pay attention to it. All we’re trying to do is make sure we’re playing the right way every night,” Maine coach Ben Barr said. “We’ve got to play better tomorrow. (Northeastern’s) going to be better. We’ve got to be relentless and ruthless and come with the same mentality. Then you move on to the next game.”

Owen Fowler gave Maine (17-12-3, 11-10-1 Hockey East) a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, scoring on a backhand shot to the left post as he came from behind the net on the opposite side. Fowler said he was hoping maybe Josh Nadeau would be there to deflect the puck in and was a little surprised to see he scored.

“A lot of things are going our way, obviously. I think we’re just playing the right way. I think we’re just playing for the team and not making selfish plays out there. Just sticking to the game plan. Just simplicity, and it’s working for us,” Fowler said.

The second period was a display of special-teams skill, which the Black Bears haven’t shown much this season. First, Fowler scored on a short-handed breakaway at 6:53. A little later, the Black Bears added a pair of power-play goals in the span of 1:20.

Brandon Holt pushed Maine’s lead to 3-0. Just over a minute later, goalie Mathis Rousseau started a breakout with a long pass to Miquel Marques at the far blue line. Marques passed to Nadeau, who more rolled the puck past Northeastern goalie Lawton Zacher than shot it.

Over the last two games, a Maine power play that struggled much of the season has come to life, with five goals on 13 chances. Nadeau’s goal was his sixth in the last three games, giving him 16 this season.

“Josh Nadeau’s been playing phenomenal. He kind of, he calms that unit down. The puck kind of goes through him when he makes the right decision,” Barr said. “(The power play) hasn’t been pretty, but it’s starting to get better at the right time.”

Holt sees his team doing the little things to make the power play work. Like his coach, the captain isn’t thinking about the Hockey East playoffs yet.

“We’re not making the perfect play every time. A lot of it comes from taking a simple shot or getting the puck in deep and winning a battle,” Holt said. “It’s not tic tac toe every single time. When you do the little things, you score the dirty goals, and the pretty goals come after.”

The wins will have to come. The Black Bears know that, but they also know the wins won’t come if they focus on the big picture and lose sight of the little details. Mathis Rousseau’s play in net was another bright spot, as the freshman made 24 saves for his second shutout.

“It all comes down to our work ethic. It’s all about our effort, and playing the game the right way,” Barr said.

That starts with a rematch with Northeastern on Saturday night at UMass Lowell’s Tsongas Arena.