Page 35 of Easton

I’m fine, just a little pissed that I didn’t avoid that check.

Still, before I skate away, I turn back and give her a reassuring wink.

It’s going to take a lot more than a punishing check to take me out of this game.

And what a game it’s been. There’s been loads of offense, which the fans always love. What they’re enjoying even more is that we’re currently up 6-5.

I can take credit for one of those goals.

Oh, and an assist as well.

Yeah, it’s been a good night.

But we still have three minutes and twenty-two seconds left to play. Anything can happen. That’s why we need to put this thing away with an “insurance” goal.

There’s a TV time-out, so Coach waves us over to the bench todiscuss strategy. He informs us that we, the top line, will stay out for one more shift.

We lean on our sticks and watch intently as he draws up a play on his dry-erase board.

The face-off will be in the opponent’s zone, so if Lennox wins the draw, which he should, he’ll shoot the puck straight to me.

I’ll hopefully find a clear lane to get it on the net, but if not, I’ll pass it to Shane or back to Lennox. Coach doesn’t want the defensive guys getting overly involved, like pinching, as the last thing we need is for Edmonton to get a breakaway down the ice.

They’re just too good and loaded with talent.

The time-out ends, and we get into position for the face-off. Even though we’re up by one, my heart is racing. We need to score one more goal for me to feel good about our chances. I’d like to be the hero tonight, especially since Claire is in the stands.

Why does everything always come back to her?

I don’t know, and there’s no time to think about it now, as the ref just dropped the puck.

Lennox wins the draw cleanly and shoots the puck to me, just as planned.

Annnd I have a clear lane to the net.

What a break!

I shoot the puck, and it fucking goes in.

Yes!

The play worked out exactly as drawn up. That doesn’t always happen, so we’re extra exuberant in our celebration on the ice.

So are the fans.

They’re going wild.

I feel like a million bucks. We have this game in the bag now. No way can Edmonton score two goals in the short amount of time that’s left, especially if we tighten up defensively.

We do exactly that, and sure enough, even though they pull their goalie for the duration, they can’t get anything past our netminder.

Time runs out, and we win the game.

I’m awarded the first star of the night. Claire is there to watch me skate out and lift my stick to the crowd.

As I skate by her, she gives me a big thumbs-up, and then claps excitedly.

Damn, I think she’s more amped than I am. Just like in my high school hockey days—she was always my biggest cheerleader.

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