Feb. 27, 2001
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Central Collegiate Hockey Association has selected Notre Dame freshman defenseman Brett Lebda (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) as its Rookie of the Week for the week ending Feb. 25.
This is the third time this season that an Irish freshman has been named the league’s Rookie of the Week as forward Rob Globke has received the honor twice this year.
Lebda had a goal and three assists in Notre Dame’s three-point weekend at Alaska-Fairbanks as the Irish tied the Nanooks, 4-4, and then took a 3-1 win in the second game of the series.
On Friday, Feb. 23, the high scoring defenseman set up Dan Carlson’s first period power play goal for a 1-0 lead and then had the rebound of his shot from the point tapped in by Matt Van Arkel for a 2-1 Notre Dame lead at 10:40. Lebda had six shots on goal in the game and was a +2 for the night.
The following night (Feb. 24), Lebda had a goal and an assist in Notre Dame’s 3-1 win. For the second night in a row, the former U.S. Under-18 Team member set up Dan Carlson’s first period power play goal to give Notre Dame a 1-0 lead. Lebda then scored the game winner at 8:04 of the third period when he fired the rebound of Evan Nielsen’s shot past UAF goaltender Preston McKay for a 2-1 lead. Lebda had three shots in the game and was +2 for the second consecutive night.
For the season, Globke is tied for third in scoring for the Irish with seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. His 25 points are the most by a Notre Dame freshman defenseman since Mark Eaton had 29 in the 1997-98 season.
Lebda is currently tied for fifth in the CCHA among rookie scorers. His 25 points are the most by any CCHA rookie defenseman and he is just three points behind Michigan’s Jeff Jillson (10-18-28) among all CCHA defenseman.
The Buffalo Grove, Ill. native is currently on a three-game scoring streak with two goals and four assists for six points in that span.
Notre Dame (9-21-7, 6-14-6 in the CCHA) comes into the final regular season weekend with a five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2) and will look to sew up the final CCHA playoff spot.
The Irish face-off against Western Michigan in a home-and-home series on March 2-3. Notre Dame travels to Western Michigan on March 2 and then closes out the season at the Joyce Center on Sat., March 3. Both games will start at 7:05 p.m.