The Rise of the Isles II Mat Barzal

Chapter 22

"Well, it looks like you were right, Bails," Mat smiled. He gave her a hug and picked her up so her toes didn't touch the floor. "We're going to the Stanley Cup Finals!"

Bailey smiled with a happy tear following down her face.

"Damn, we're going to the Stanley Cup Finals!" Bailey squealed.

Bailey's phone buzzed like crazy on her way home. She couldn't stop smiling as she and Mat rocked out to Rockstar by Nickelback.

It was game day. Bailey was nervous for their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.

"Shit," Bailey said. "We're playing the Maple Leafs?"

"It's gonna be tough," Mat said. "We've got this,"

Bailey let out a deep breath.

"At least you'll get to meet Mitch Marner," Mat smiled. "Nick told me that you had a thing for him in high school,"

"Yeah, well, Nick is an idiot," Bailey said.

"Whatever, Bails," Mat smirked.

"Hey, I'm focused on one thing and one thing only, the game," Bailey said.

"Woah, okay," Mat smiled.

Bailey laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Mat smiled. Bailey just laughed even harder, which made Mat laugh.

Bailey loved the sound of Mat's laugh; it was just the thing to get her motivated for tonight's game.

Game 1: Islanders vs Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs started strong, but the Islanders came out stronger. The physicality was brutal. Bailey got a hit against the boards and didn't realize who it was until she got up. She couldn't help but smile when she saw number 16 skate away from her.

"Holy shit," She mumbled.

After that, she forgot about Marner and focused on the game.

Auston Matthews scored the first goal for Toronto. Quickly after, Bailey got her fire. She took a heated shot at the net that even surprised her that it went in. The score was 1-1 by the end of the period. The second period came. Both teams shot a lot, but neither team scored. In the third period, Mitch Marner scored one for Toronto.

"Not a big fan of him anymore, eh?" Mat asked Bailey.

Bailey scoffed.

"I never really liked him anyway," Bailey said.

"That's a lie," Mat laughed.

"Whatever," Bailey said. "We gotta get that goal back,"

"True, true," Mat said.

Eight minutes were left in the third period. Bailey took a shot. It bounced off of the goaltender's pads. Eberle took a shot and scored! It was now 2-2. Bailey took another quick shot before the end of the game. To her surprise, it also didn't go in. Mat tapped in the rebound and scored! 3-2, Islanders! New York took the win that game, but it was going to be hard to win three more against this tough team.

Game 2: Islanders vs Maple Leafs. Toronto scored a late goal in the first, giving them the lead. JG Pageau got one back. The score was 1-1 by the end of the first period. The second period ran by quickly with no goals scored by either team. In the third, Anthony Beauvillier hit the puck in the back of the net on a slapshot. 2-1, Islanders! They ended up winning this game which brought the series to a lead; 2-0, Islanders.

Game 3: Islanders vs Maple Leafs. New York was ahead in the first with only one goal on the board by Casey Cizikas. On a power play, Toronto got a goal. When Barzal got out of the penalty box, he skated to the net and got a goal! 2-1, Islanders. In the second period, Toronto came back and scored two goals. 3-2, Toronto. There were no goals in the third, which meant the Maple Leafs were on the board. The Islanders still led the series 2-1.