Page 75 of They All Puck Me

Liam grins at us both. "Keep this up, and we’ll have this series wrapped up tonight."

We line up for the next faceoff, our spirits high. It’s like a well-oiled machine now – every pass crisp, every movement fluid. Our personal bullshit? That’s what made us stronger out here.

A few minutes later, we’re back in our zone. The other team presses hard but we’re not letting anything through. Liam blocks a shot and clears it out to me in one smooth motion.

"Go, Noah!" he yells as I break away down the ice.

I dodge another defender and see Ethan ahead near their blue line. He gives me a quick nod – our silent agreement to push forward together.

I slap pass it to him just as he crosses into their territory. He handles it like he was born with a stick in his hand and makes a beeline for the net.

Ethan glances back at me and Liam. "Ready?"

We crash toward the goal together; Ethan passes to me last second as I lift my stick for a quick shot top-shelf – another point on board before they even know what hit them.

The horn sounds again – pure euphoria surges through me as fans scream themselves hoarse above us.

I catch a glimpse of Olivia in the stands, her bright green eyes locked onto the ice. She’s not officially covering us anymore, but she’s still here, cheering us on. Her presence fills me with a warmth that spreads through my chest and straight to my legs. Damn if it doesn’t make me skate faster.

As I skate by Liam, he nudges me. "Eyes on the puck, Kane," he says with a smirk.

"Just making sure our biggest fan is still here," I reply, giving him a wink.

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Focus, man."

Ethan skates up beside us as we line up for another faceoff. "You two done flirting?" His voice carries that familiar edge, but there's a twinkle in his eye.

I shoot back, "Just trying to keep it interesting for Olivia."

The ref drops the puck and we’re back at it. The game is tight, but our coordination has never been better. Every pass is crisp; every play executed with precision. We’re in the zone.

Midway through the second period, I intercept a pass and break away down the ice. The crowd roars as I weave through defenders, my heart pounding in my ears. I spot Ethan ahead and send the puck his way just as a defenseman tries to check me into the boards.

Ethan takes the pass and fires off a shot that sails past their goalie’s glove. The red light flashes again and the arena erupts.

Skating over to him, I slap his back. "Nice shot!"

"Thanks for the setup," he replies, grinning.

Liam joins us, his smile wide. "Let’s keep this momentum going."

We head back to the bench for a quick breather. Coach Bergman gives us an approving nod. "Keep it up out there."

As we sit down, I can’t help but glance up at Olivia again. She’s on her feet, clapping and cheering with an enthusiasm that makes my heart race even faster than the game does.

Liam follows my gaze and nudges me again. "She really gets to you, huh?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "She gets to all of us."

Ethan leans in from the other side of Liam. "Let's give her something to cheer about then."

The whistle blows and we’re back on the ice. The third period is intense – hits are harder, plays are faster – but we hold our ground.

With two minutes left on the clock and the game tied, we’re pushing hard for that final goal. Liam blocks a shot and clears it out to me in one smooth motion. I dart down the ice with Ethan hot on my heels.

"Now or never," Liam shouts as he follows us into their zone.

I pass to Ethan who takes a quick shot, but their goalie deflects it right back to me. Without thinking, I shoot again – this time finding the back of the net.

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