Brett Gensler scored his 9th goal of the season Friday night.  Gensler really seems to be developing a knack for scoring when the Phantoms are in need of a goal.  The Missouri native is a good dude.  He was the #2 Star of The Game Friday, In a reflection of his true character, when Gensler was announced, he skated out waived his stick to the fans that stuck around to applaud him, turned to go back to the locker room, stopped in mid-stride, and helped a young overloaded Phantoms waterboy with equipment and a helmet.  How many hockey players would give up their moment in the sun to help a struggling lad with someone’s smelly helmet and equipment?  I know one now — Brett Gensler.

Paneech:  With 8 goals and 10 points, you sit amongst the league leaders.  Did you see it that way coming into this year?

Gensler:  I hoped for it.  Being a second-year player, coming into this year I knew if I worked hard I could be a leading point guy. 

Paneech:  What strides have you made to improve your game since you got here ?

Gensler:  I really focused on being more of an all-around player, not just offense, but also defense, killing penalties, power plays, whatever the coach asks me to do.  I just have to work hard everyday, and hopefully things will keep improving.

Paneech:  Being a Missouri native, I am guessing you are a Blues fan.  How closely do you follow the NHL?

Gensler:  I follow  the Blues pretty much every night.  I follow the boxscores on STLBlues.com to keep up, they are struggling right now, but I think they are going to be good.

Paneech:  Walk me through a practice day from the time you wake up in the morning until the time you go to sleep at night.

Gensler:  On Mondays and Wednesdays we have workouts.  I work out at 11:30, so I will wake up at about 9, make some eggs, toast, and bacon if I get up early enough.  Then me and David Donnellan, he is my roommate, will drive to the rink to pick up our workout clothes, and then we head to the House of Speed downtown.  We get there and stretch and then work out for about an hour-and-a-half.  Then we usually head to Subway on campus.  After we eat, we head to the rink and hang out with the guys, tape my stick.  Then we get ready, we stretch, and get ready for practice.  We are on the ice for about an hour, hour-and-a-half each day.  Then I shower up and go home to eat.  I’ll call home and then hang out with some of the guys.

Paneech:  How have you adapted to Youngstown so far?

Gensler:  It’s been pretty easy.  I played at Cedar Rapids, Iowa last year and in some ways it seems like a harder, working-class type of people here.  It’s been pretty easy.  My host family has shown me around town, it’s been really good.

Paneech:  Tell me something about Brett Gensler that nobody knows.

Gensler:  I like to watch alot of TV on my computer right now.  I am really getting into a series called Californication. 

Paneech:  What do you attribute the quick turnaround and winning ways to?

Gensler:  Just the little things is basically what it comes down to.  We have improved on getting the puck out of the zone to take away scoring opportunities.  Buying in to the coaches gameplan, we can’t try to do our own thing.  Forechecking, getting guys to stay on their own sides, little things like that are the difference between wins and losses.

Paneech:  What goes through your mind when you are awarded a penalty shot and how much do you think ahead about what you will try to do.

Gensler:  For me, I would say it is pretty much premeditated.  I will get up there, and most guys have a couple of moves, and when you get up there, you are like OK, am I going to deke or am I going to shoot.  It comes down to when you are skating the puck down to the goal, all of the options are going through your head and you say, OK, I am going to deke, and then when you get there, you see the goalee playing the post bad you change up and take a quick shot.  For the most part, it is premeditated and I know what I want to do ahead of time.

Paneech:  Talk about Coach Bob Mainhardt.

Gensler:  He has been a great influence and I love playing for him.  He pushes us every day, and all he asks for is a little bit of hard work and trust.  He would do anything for us.  I love his philosophy, all of the different forechecks and things he teaches us. 

Paneech:  What’s next after this season?

Gensler:  I have a couple of schools I am talking to right now.  My first choice would be to hopefully get a scholarship and go to school next year.  If not, I would be more than happy to play for the Phantoms again next season.  You never want to count out being drafted, it is every little kids dream.  I think I would have to get 50 or 60 points to receive consideration because I am a smaller guy.

 

 

One Word Answers

Favorite NHL Team:  St. Louis Blues.

Favorite NHL Coach:  Andy Murray.

Toppings On A Pizza:  Pepperoni.

Favorite Holiday:  Thanksgiving, because it falls on my birthday every seven years.

Best Musical Group Ever:  Dave Matthews Band.

I Watch ____ On TV:  Entourage.

Favorite Soft Drink:  Mountain Dew.

The Thing I Hate Doing:  Reading.

Biggest Phobia:  Spiders.

Worst Habit:  Chewing Skoal Mint.