The horn soundsas Seattle pulls ahead. They really are a good fucking team. They’re up 3-2 in the middle of the third. The home crowd is on their feet, celebrating the goal.
“Damn it.”
I take a swig from my water bottle before hopping over the boards to take my position on the ice for the puck drop.
“Only one goal,” Cash says. “We’ve got this.”
“Damn right we do. We’re not ending the trip on a loss.”
The puck drops and our center sends it to me. My skates dig into the ice as I make my way over the blue line. Cash is neck and neck with me.
I shoot the puck his way before the defenseman collides with me.
“Shit.”
I fall to the ice in a pile before trying to push my way back up. Their goalie has blocked the shot and they’re taking off toward Nick.
Even from here, as I’m driving toward the action, I can see he’s ready. He doesn’t let them score. He blocks the shot with ease as it sails off his stick. Cash scoops it up, and getting onside, the two of us work together down the ice.
He passes the puck to me. I skate around one of theirguys, and with no one in front of me but the goalie, I fire it—smack into the back of the net.
“Yes!”
Tied, 3-3.
“Great job, Paddy.” Cash claps me on the shoulder. “One more and we’ve got this in the bag.”
Coach Barney changes the line and I skate back over to the bench. The goal quiets the home crowd, giving us the momentum.
Troy is on fire tonight as he gets the puck and is on a tear toward their goalie. He dekes them out with ease and gets another fast goal.
“Yes!” I pump my fist in excitement.
We’re only up by one, so we can’t rest on our laurels now. With only five minutes left, it’s a fight until the very end.
Shot upon shot is taken on goal with nothing going in. Each goalie is on top of their game. Nick is a beast between the pipes, not letting the pressure get to him.
With one minute to go, Vancouver pulls their goalie, giving themselves an extra man. Cash and I hit the ice.
They’re swarming, but we’re on them. They shoot the puck, but Nick swats the puck away with his stick, but Vancouver gets it and takes another shot. I block it before it can go in.
The final horn sounds as I fall to the ice with the puck ricocheting off of me.
Thank fuck.
“Hell, yeah, man!” Cash extends a hand, pulling me up and off the ice.
“You know, you didn’t have to use your body to stop the goal,” Nick says, taking off his helmet.
“I wasn’t going to be the reason we went into overtime. Gotta help the team.” I shrug.
Shaking hands with the Seattle players, I skate off the iceand answer the post-game questions by the awaiting media. It’s all rote.
Playing together as a team.
Working hard to help us win.
Seattle is a good opponent.
