Page 94 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
1-1.
The crowd erupts, and I raise my stick in celebration as we regroup at center ice. Harper gets control again, skating circles around our defense before slipping a sneaky pass to Ortega, who slides the puck right past Blake.
1-2.
Wow. That was fast, damn it. I slam my stick on the ice in frustration as they celebrate.
We all regroup quickly, and this time, we get the puck, only for it to be stolen by Ortega. He fakes a slapshot, then zips a pass to his winger. Blake braces himself as the winger takes the shot, the puck screaming toward the corner of the net.
Thud. Blake's glove snaps shut.
The crowd erupts in cheers, chanting his name. “Blake! Blake! Blake!”
On the bench, Coach is shouting, spitting directions as we rotate lines. Tomas, James, and I are back out. The puck drops again, and I win it this time, sending it straight to Logan.
With minutes left in the period, I intercept the pass and race down the ice. Their defense closes in, but I toe-drag around one and deke past another. The goal is in sight.
I take the shot.
The puck flies low, slipping just under the goalie’s pad and into the net.
The horn blares and the crowd erupts in a frenzy.
2-2
We are tied now.
The buzzer signals the end of the second period. As I skate back to the bench, Tomas slaps my helmet. “That’s how you do it!”
After a while, the third period begins, and it is neck-and-neck. All of us throw everything we have into the game. It is getting intense by the second. Harper cuts through our defense, but James blocks his shot at the last second, sending the puck flying.
Tomas grabs it, sprinting down the ice. He fakes a shot, passing to me instead. The puck slides right to my stick. I aim and shoot.
The puck slams into the back of the net.
The horn blares.
3-2.
Woo Hoo! GOAL.
After regrouping, the Red Hawks come back and push hard. Their center wins the next faceoff, powering into our zone. He is fast, cutting past Josh and winding up for a shot.
He shoots, and Blake dives - glove save!
The arena erupts again with screams and chants of Blake’s name.
Time ticks down. Every second feels like a war. Bodies crash into the glass, sticks clatter, the puck zips from end to end, and with just a few seconds on the clock, I get my hands on the puck and race with all I have towards the post. I fake a slapshot, making their defenseman bite, then slide the puck to James on the wing, signaling to him I have an opening, he slides it back to me, and I immediately send the puck flying.
The goalie lunges - so close, but the puck slides past him, trickling slowly across the goal line. I hold my breath as it crawls, like the longest second in my life.
And then, the red light blinks on and the horn blares.
GOAL!!!!
4-2
The arena explodes. I can barely hear myself think as the team swarms me, slapping my back and hugging me. But I do not care. We have won. We have made it. The Avalanche are champions.
