ORONO — Talk about a quick adjustment.

Thrown into the fire in the University of Maine’s first countable regular-season game — and first Hockey East contest — of the season, Lewiston’s Mark Anthoine didn’t flinch.

The Black Bears put the University of Massachusetts at Lowell on the ropes early, and Anthoine helped deliver the knockout punch, slipping the puck to linemate Kyle Beattie for the Black Bears’ third goal of the first period in last Friday’s opener, an 8-2 victory.

“We were set up in a controlled breakout,” Anthoine said. “(Mike) Banwell came up, I cut across the middle and he threw me a great pass. I passed it under a stick to Beattie and he sniped it far side. It was pretty exciting.”

So began Anthoine’s freshman season with the state’s flagship school, for one of the premier hockey programs in the country.

“It gives me a little more confidence on the ice,” Anthoine said of seeing some game action. “Just getting the ice time out there, I’m just trying to keep it simple.”

Simple and physical, a game Maine coach Tim Whitehead expects from his 20-year-old freshman.

“He came in strong, fast, determined and he’s played very well for us,” Whitehead said. “Even (Saturday) I thought he was one of the bright spots.”

In Saturday’s 3-3 tie with the University of Connecticut, Anthoine was held scoreless, but he was a physical presence on the ice, particularly in the second period.

“That’s one of my big things, I love to hit,” Anthoine said. “I feel like I’m pretty solid, so I like to throw it around a lot.”

Anthoine also said that, thanks to his stints in Chicago and Sioux Falls, the elevated crowd noise and packed house — and playing in front of his eager and proud family — aren’t distractions.

“I know where their seats are, but I rarely look up in the stands,” Anthoine said. “When I was in Chicago at first, I was so awestruck with the fans. I learned to put them out of my mind. You can’t let them get into your head, so I just focus on the game.”

“He’s made a great adjustment,” Whitehead said. “Mark’s been probably our most effective freshman, because he’s the most prepared. He took that extra year in the USHL to really conquer that level, and he did that. He was an All-Star last season.”

If — or when — he finds the back of the net for the first time, though, he may find the time to take a peek upward.

“Probably,” Anthoine admitted. “Especially if it’s at home, that would be awesome.”

With all of the praise, of course, comes the criticism. Anthoine isn’t the perfect player, freshman or otherwise, and he is the first to admit it. Whitehead and the staff continue to keep a list of things on which Anthoine need to continue to work.

“He’s got some things he’s working on, a quicker step,” Whitehead said. “He has great speed in the open ice, he’s working on that agility and working on the release of the shot, but he’s a very complete player.

“He’s physical, he’s strong on the puck, he’s responsible defensively, and he contributes on offense,” Whitehead continued. “I’m very pleased with where Mark’s at, and I think he’s going to be a heck of a player for us here at Maine.”