Nick Sucharski's college hockey career didn't start the way he had originally hoped.

After missing the start of the season because of mononucleosis, the freshman forward made his Spartans debut in a Nov. 11 loss against Nebraska-Omaha.

More frustrating for Sucharski was that he didn't record a point until his 10th game in uniform — a new experience for a forward who put up 53 points for the Wexford Raiders in the Ontario Provincial Junior "A" Hockey League last year and was considered a proven scorer even before that.

However, the future seems to be looking up for the Toronto native after he netted his first collegiate goal in a 3-1 win against Wayne State on Friday and recorded his first collegiate multiple-point game in Saturday's 5-1 win against the Warriors. Sucharski's three-point weekend was good enough for CCHA Rookie of the Week honors on Monday.

Sucharski said he felt relief to get that first goal behind him after a disappointing start.

"To begin with, I was really scared," he said. "I was really hesitant to what I was going to do out there. A lot of the guys have really made my stay here a lot better lately.

"As a freshman, I'm like the youngest guy on the team. You just don't know if you can make a certain play, if you're going to make the correct play. If you're going to go out there and you make a mistake, you're going to get sat."

Sucharski has been awarded more time on the power play for his performances as of late, but he credits much of his success to the team's fourth line — which he centers.

"They just relax me out there, and I'm really appreciative," Sucharski said. "As much as you want to get on those first two lines, even that third line, those guys just work their bag off."

Sucharski recalled how a conversation last Thursday with head coach Rick Comley also put him at ease.

"He really coached me, helped me boost my confidence," he said. "You go out there, and you're so worried about what the coach is going to think — you're worried about how you're playing.

"He really gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want."

Comley saw the timely player-coach meeting as just a chance to calm down a young player.

"The level of intensity is so extremely high," he said. "They're used to being the best player and have success and it's casual and it's relaxed and they have success, and all of the sudden they come in here and they don't.

"Then they're not sure if you like them or you don't like them. Are you mad at them or not mad at them? Sometimes a talk's real healthy."

Sucharski's honor make him the first Spartan this year to earn that award.

Junior goaltender Dominic Vicari won the league's Goaltender of the Week award, and sophomore forward Bryan Lerg won Offensive Player of the Week honors following their performances on October 8-9.

MSU welcomes Alaska Fairbanks for a two-game set starting 7:35 p.m. Friday at Munn Ice Arena.