Page 102 of Scoring Position

Ryan:Ah, so you’re not a whiner, just a traitor.

Nico:They made me captain?

Ryan:FUCK YES! Of course they did!

Nico:No “of course!” Some of these guys are twice my age!

Ryan:… they are not icing 42-year-olds

Nico:Okay fine, but I’m too young.

Ryan:You’re also the only first-overall pick on the team.

Look, they probably made all the veterans As, right?

Nico:… yeah

Ryan:So you’re well supported with plenty of experience and wisdom!

Enjoy their obvious PR move and have fun being captain

Nico:Fine.

Nico:Congrats on the win and the assist! You look amazing out there.

Ryan:Thanks! I can’t believe this is happening.

Nico:I can.

Nico:Congratulations to team Canada on securing a spot!

Ryan:Im so drink riggt nos

Nico:Go to bed.

Ryan:Celebration!

Nico:It’s late. Sleep.

Ryan:FINE

Nico:Sleep well.

See you soon.

Ryan:Go Germany!

See you soon!

NICO WAScoming to Prague.

Ryan dry-washed his face and took some deep breaths. He needed to focus on his training, on his game.

Nico wanted to meet up.

Ryan wanted that too. He was starting to feel like he’d shank a man for a ten-second hug from a grumpy German chess/hockey genius. But it wasn’t that easy.

From here on out, the tournament was elimination. Lose a game and you were out. The semifinal losers would play for bronze, but still, that was a lot of pressure. Canada was playing Finland in the quarterfinals while Germany played Czechia, but if both teams won those games, they’d play each other next.

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