The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/246097
where are they now? has enjoyed since graduating. "With my game at Michigan, the more years I played the more confidence I had, and this helped tremendously," he said. "Also, over the years, understanding what Coach Berenson expected of you as a player and as a student made you a better player. "My Michigan experience was a great one. I made some of my best friends during my years at Michigan. I came to Michigan not knowing much, and over the fours years I felt like I grew a lot as a person as well as a hockey player." In his senior season, Lebler proved his importance, scoring three goals in eight postseason games, including a marker in a 5-2 CCHA semifinal win over Miami (Ohio), while notching a goal and an assist in a 5-1 NCAA Tournament first-round win over Bemidji State. He helped direct a team that was forced to win six conference playoff games to extend the Wolverines' NCAA Tournament streak to 20 consecutive campaigns. Michigan would go 6-0 in the conference tourney, sweeping Lake Superior State at home, Michigan State on the road, and beating Miami and Northern Michigan in the CCHA semifinals and finals to earn that advancement. While he recalls the playoff run with delight, Lebler harkens back to his final regular-season game at Yost — a night in which he netted a goal and an assist in vanquishing Notre Dame — as his lasting image. "Senior Night was one that sticks with me," he said. "Being on the ice with the guys you spent fours years with, you really appreciated what Michigan and those guys meant to you in that moment." ❏ The Brian Lebler File Michigan Accomplishments: Came to U-M a proven goal scorer with 44 career goals in 110 junior games with the Penticton Vees … Played in 145 career contests with the Wolverines, scoring 33 goals and adding 26 assists for 59 points while finishing with a plus/minus of plus-20 … Contributed four goals and four assists in 21 career postseason contests … Ranked seventh on the team in 2010 with 24 points, including a career-high 14 goals. Michigan Memory: Outside of the Maize and Blue's Frozen Four run in 2008, and his Senior Night recollections in 2010, Lebler will never forget playing in an outdoor game — the Camp Randall Classic — in front of 55,031 Badger fans. Michigan lost to Wisconsin 3-2 on Feb. 6, 2010, but Lebler has happy memories of the evening. "The cold weather and atmosphere was something I will probably never experience again," he said. "Also my whole family on my mother's side is from Wisconsin, so they were all able to come, which was pretty cool." Family: Lebler has been married almost two years to his wife, Kelsey, and they have a daughter, Blakely.