FITCHBURG —  When Trevor Lawler decided to attend Fitchburg State a few years ago, much was expected. He was a hometown boy whose relatives are local legends (father Kevin starred at Merrimack, aunt Kathy was a standout on the boys’ team at Fitchburg and is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s hockey, and sister Erika is a three-time national champion at Wisconsin and a U.S. Olympian) on the ice.

Though the expectations may have been unfair, Lawler certainly has done everything in his power to meet or exceed them.

The Fitchburg High graduate, who played for the Tyngsboro Huskies of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, shook off a slow start as a freshman and contributed six goals and 10 assists the next year while being asked to play a more defensive role on the Falcons’ checking lines. Last year, he blossomed, scoring nine goals and adding 13 assists as the Falcons won the MASCAC championship with a thrilling, come-from-behind, 6-5 overtime win over Salem State.

Who scored the championship-winning goal? Lawler.

“Trevor has come a long way since he came here as a freshman,” Fitchburg State coach Dean Fuller said. “We knew he was going to be a solid player for us at some point, but you never know long it will take. He worked hard from day one and has really improved. He’s been one of our key guys for a while now, and definitely is one again this season.”

The success did not come easily for Lawler, who struggled a bit the first month or so of his freshman season before finding his role as a checker and penalty killer.

He spoke with the coaching staff and reflected upon what he needed to do to improve and play a bigger role for the Falcons as a sophomore. The answer was obvious: improve his conditioning.

Lawler spent the offseason lifting, running and skating to help improve his strength and conditioning. He put some muscle onto his 5-foot-6 frame, coming into last season at 165 pounds. The added weight and strength, combined with a low center of gravity, made Lawler tough on and off the puck.

“I knew I had to get stronger, I knew I had to get faster,” Lawler said. “You always have to be looking at ways to get better, and improving my strength, speed, and conditioning is what I needed to do, so I went out and worked at it.”

It paid off, as Lawler was one of Fitchburg State’s most reliable players on both ends of the ice. In addition to his point totals and championship-winning goal, Lawler was one of Fitchburg’s top defensive and special teams’ players, earning the coaching staff’s trust in any situation.

Fuller credited Lawler’s ability to read the play, play away from the puck, his strength and his overall hockey sense.

“He is an incredibly smart player who sees the ice about as well as anyone we have had here,” he said. “When you add in the fact that he has excellent skills and has improved his conditioning, it makes him a very valuable player for us. I have confidence in him in any situation.”

Lawler said he and his teammates have worked even harder this offseason to prepare to defend their championship. He spent much of this summer doing Crossfit, a workout program designed to develop strength, balance and endurance. He and many other Falcons also skated as often as possible.

For the first time, the MASCAC champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 3 Tournament. Right now, the Falcons are not worried about that, as they have more immediate goals.

“The goal is to get better each and every time we get on the ice,” Lawler said. “We know that probably won’t happen with the ups and downs of every season, but we know if we can consistently improve, we will be in a good position when the playoffs start, and that’s when it counts the most.”