CANTLON’S CORNER: TREVOR GERLING 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – After a successful run near the Champs Elysees, the spring hockey season in the Southern Hemisphere was very agreeable for former UConn player, Trevor Gerling who was voted the playoff MVP after scored the game-winner in a 4-3 overtime victory for the Canberra (CBR) Brave over the Sydney Bears two weeks ago to capture the Goodall Cup of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL).

In an exclusive email interview with Cantlon’s Corner, the hero of the Brave’s first title run speaks of a whirlwind six months.

Howlings: What were your expectations of the AIHL when you signed?

Gerling: “Coming to Canberra and joining the Brave, I always knew a championship was possible. The team had been to the finals weekend four years in a row, and the last two making an appearance in the Championship game. We had the season we wanted and it looked like the odds were in our favor. The ownership and management did a great job recruiting good players, but they were better guys off the ice.“

Howlings: On the game-winning goal, it was a quick transition play off a three-on-two rush. Did you expect the pass? Were you thinking top shelf, or were you looking to shoot elsewhere? 

Gerling: “My first thought was to get the puck to the net! I got a great drop pass from (Wehebe) Darge and their goalie (Anthony) Kimlin had been playing a great game, and I tried to stay away from his glove hand. He was snapping them up on us all game. It was kind of a screenshot. I found a tough area for goalies above the shoulder.

“The overtime, and the whole game, for that matter, was fast-paced, intense hockey. It’s a game everyone wants to be involved in when they play hockey.”

You had speed going. Your #78 blue jersey was billowing on you. Did you feel that?

“To be honest, I didn’t feel the jersey, I could barely feel anything, I had so much adrenaline going.”

Why did you select the number 78 for your jersey? The blue jersey looks very similar to UConn’s blue jersey?

“I picked 78 because it was close to 18, but still a new number. I have been trying some new numbers and 18 is still my favorite, but its usually already taken. So, I was looking for a good back up worked out.

There were some similarities in the jerseys. The colors were slightly different and UConn was more simple and traditional, which I liked. It’s also cool wearing a jersey decked out with sponsors and ads, it gives it a true look of European hockey.”

The Brave had a 2-0 lead in the first then trailed 3-2 between the second and third period. What was said by the coaches or players?

“I think the message from the team was to stay calm. We didn’t want to get too high holding a two-goal lead, and we don’t want to be too down going into the third losing by a goal. We had a great team, and the offense will come if we stay the course and take care of our end first and it worked out for us.”

What were the ingredients for Canberra’s success?

“The main ingredient for Canberra’s success was family. Every player in the locker room, coaches, staff, owners, fans, everyone involved was very close and we had a great community.”

Two championships in six months. First in France capturing the Elite League Magnus Cup title with the HC Lyon Lions as an assistant captain and now Australia. Which was better?

“I am very blessed to be involved in the two championships, and it is tough to say which was better. The French Cup was a big deal in France and to play in Paris in front of almost 15,000 fans was an amazing experience, but to bring the Goodall Cup, back to Canberra for the very first time in Brave history, that was very special.

“Scoring the OT winner didn’t hurt either.”

You had a strong regular season where you were tied for the league scoring title with Perth’s Per-Olivier Grandmaison with 67 points. What was the key to your success?

“I had a small idea of what to expect coming to compete in the AIHL. Having a strong team made the transition for me easier. There are some very good players throughout the league and it is getting more and more competitive each season from what I hear. I think the league is getting more exposure and players can really benefit from coming over and experiencing a great country while playing hockey in the ‘offseason’.

“We had a lot of success in the regular season. I think it started with the players believing that we can win each game, but playing them one-at-a-time. We had a very balanced group, and the guy next to you brought something just a little different to the team. We always stuck up for each other, and we found out playing the right way teams couldn’t keep up with us.

“We were fast in transition, just like on the game-winning goal. We had four lines that could score, and when we played the right way, teams struggled to generate offense. And when the breaks came against us, we had a very good goaltender in net who could steal the game for us when we struggled to score goals.”

Was there a little UConn still in your pro game? 

“I use something from my UConn experience every day. Going to a reputable school and playing for some great coaches and with some great players, you learn a lot. Especially after four years. I really developed my game at UConn and that’s where I began to learn how to handle myself like a pro and grow as a player and more importantly a person.”

What were some of the fun things you did and saw in Australia, and the most unique experiences you had?

“My girlfriend, Julie, and I developed a lot of special relationships, and I had a great time playing for a team with that much success and tradition. I really enjoyed seeing the other cities and stayed in Perth for a couple days with some of the guys. We really bonded there and was able to see Rottnest Island, the home of the Quokkas.

(Quokkas are small marsupial animals (pouch carrying) that inhabit the island and the surrounding waters have sea lions and southern fur seals. The island is 18 miles off the Western coast of Australia and is the most protected wildlife area in the country that can be accessed by ferry from Perth).

We really enjoyed the Aussie experience. Australia was probably the most fun place I have played, but I have also learned a lot about myself and my game from everywhere I have been and played.”

As a Seattle native, you’ve probably been keeping an eye on the potential of an NHL expansion team likely being granted there later this fall. How has the hockey culture in the Pacific-Northwest changed from when you were growing up? 

“I am very excited about the possibility of an NHL expansion team in Seattle.

“I have never had a favorite team because my hometown never had a team. We had the Metropolitans, but that was way before my time (1915-1924).

“Youth hockey in Seattle has really leaped and developed since my time. There are new organizations forming and hockey has really come into the state with the addition of teams in leagues in Canada’s BCHL, where I played for two years.

“The success of the local major junior WHL teams like the (Seattle) Thunderbirds and Everett (Silvertips). When I was growing up we played a lot of games in Canada against other teams because of the lack of local competition for AAA teams.”  

Will you be returning to the AIHL next season, and what are your fall and winter North American or European hockey plans?

“It is too early to tell if I will be back in the AIHL. That being said, I had a very good experience and I would love to be back in Canberra again.

“Next season in North America, I am joining the Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), another team with a history of success and the current champions of the SPHL. I hope to come in and contribute to the team’s past success and be the best person and players I can be on and off the ice.

“I have two championships in a row, and the only thing sweeter would be three.”

Whether, it’s been Scotland, France or Australia the world of hockey has been a championship experience for the Seattle native with new adventures to come.