ORONO — Patriks Berzins found out Sunday morning that he’d make his first career start in net for the University of Maine Sunday afternoon against Stonehill.

“Ben (Maine coach Ben Barr) texted me. I was ready to take that chance and make the most out of it,” Berzins, a freshman goalie from Talsi, Latvia, said.

Berzins wasn’t tested much at Alfond Arena Sunday, needing just 14 saves for his first career win in the Black Bears 4-2 win over Stonehill.

Berzins played to give Albin Boija, who started each of Maine’s first 15 games, a rest.

“He made a couple good saves when he had to,” Barr said.

The Black Bears (12-2-2) now have three weeks off for a holiday break. Maine’s next game is on Dec. 29 against Bentley at Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena.

Prior to Sunday afternoon, Berzins had seen action in just one game, playing the final seven minutes of Maine’s 6-0 win over Merrimack on Nov. 2, making four saves to preserve the shared shutout with Boija. For much of Sunday’s game, Berzins was on an island, as his teammates controlled play at the far end of the ice. That can make it hard to maintain focus, he said.

“I thought the boys helped me a lot. I didn’t have a lot to do. It’s my first time being on a team like that, where I don’t face a lot of shots and you have to stay mentally focused in the game. All props to my teammates for helping me out here,” Berzins said. “It is hard to keep the focus, yeah. You’ve just got to stay mentally prepared and wait for that next shot, and know you’re going to stop that next shot when it comes.”

Barr didn’t blame Berzins for either Stonehill (6-14) goal. The first, at 4:49 of the first period, was credited to Teddy Lagerback after going off a Maine defender, tying the game at 1-1. The second came at 13:23 of the third period, with Frank Ireland scoring for the Skyhawks on a 2 on 1 break.

“There wasn’t much he could do on that (first goal). A brutal (defensive) breakdown on the second goal, so it’s hard to fault him,” Barr said.

Berzins said he didn’t see what happened on the first goal.

“I was tracking the puck, and it was coming at my chest, and I think it hit someone’s pants. I’m not even sure. I saw the puck going in the net and they started celebrating,” he said. “I looked up to the Jumbotron to see where the puck deflected, but I couldn’t see. We won the game. That’s all that matters.”

Berzins said he doesn’t have any pregame rituals before a start. At most, he’d like to take a nap, which he was unable to do before Sunday’s start.

“I’m not as weird as some goalies. I don’t have anything that crazy,” Berzins said.

Maine took a 1-0 lead at 2:37 of the first period, on another first, the first goal of freshman Thomas Pichette’s career. Pichette deflected a Jack Dalton shot from the point past Stonehill goalie Connor Androlewicz, who played four years at Maine before transferring to join the Skyhawks this season.

“I was going to the net. I saw Jack Dalton. I got a stick on it and it went in. Not much about it, but it felt great,” Pichette said. “I knew we had a great team this year, so coming in I knew I had to put some work in. It’s nice to see the work is finally paying off on the ice.”

Barr said he thought the fourth line, with Pichette centering Anthony Calafiore and Nicholas Niemo, was the team’s best line throughout the game.

“I think our game plan was to keep it simple. Get the puck deep and get to work,” Pichette said.

Maine took a 2-1 lead in the final minute of the first period on a Thomas Freel goal. The Black Bears pushed the lead to 3-1 at 4:17 of the second period on Josh Nadeau’s power-play goal. Frank Djurasevic’s goal at 7:23 of the third gave Maine a 4-1 lead.