Glory Days

Chapter 1 - Opening Day

"Alright, we all know this is only the first game of the season and we will be trying different plays and players, but it's a game none of the less. Gardner you're starting in left wing today, this is your chance to make us proud to have a rookie like you, becasue I ain't playing crap players this season, no matter if you're eighteen or thirty-five. So lads, i want a good, comfortable win, and I get what I want so let's start with a high, Hawks"

The words of the Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville put young Christopher Gardner into fear, but also filled him with determination. So he ties his laces on his left skate before picking up his personalized stick and headed out onto the rink.

Chicago were facing the NHL's biggest misfits, the Edmonton Oilers on the first day of the season. Surely, this was going to be such a whitewash. The Blackhawks made there way onto the ice during their trademark skate out. Chris' first game and he was starting in his favourite position. It couldn't have been any better. As the United Center roared, the match official dropped the puck.

It wasn't long into the game when Gardner started getting involved. Duncan Keith gets the puck easily off of the Edmonton centerman and drives before playing Christopher, who then plays through a nice pass to fan favourite Patrick Kane, who hits the post before the rebound is put in by captain Jonathan Toews. Two minutes into the season and the five time Stanley Cup winners took the lead.

Christopher had been playing solid, getting back and making tackles and starting attacks. In the eleventh minute of the first period, the Oilers had a great chance that was saved by an in-form Corey Crawford. The save bounced off the glass before being grabbed by Gardner grabs it and drives through three Edmonton players before playing it to Kane who smashes it into the top left corner of the goal. 2-0. The goalscorer holds up his stick before nodding to the fans behind the goal, before giving Chris a fist pump and a little compliment:

"Not bad, lad"

The words made the young prospect smile before coming off for Brandon Saad. As soon as he come off, he was greeted with about five players giving him a pat on the back, including his coach Joel, who added:

"More of that, Gards"

Not much else happened in that period, except a few chances here and there but nothing to shout about. As the players entered the dressing room, they took off there helmets and their gloves, before the coach followed them.

"Beautiful. Well done lads. As a coach I don't know what we have to work on, i think we just have tighten our defence a bit, but except from that just do what you've been doing 'cos it's working, is it?"

The team went out and done the same as the first period but the Oilers were playing significantly better. The game all of a sudden felt very end-to-end and chances were going in both directions. Gardner was creating many chances and doing close to nothing wrong, but none of his teammates were able to finish. This resulted to a quite boring second period.

The third period wasn't much different to the second period except from one major moment. David Rundblad was sitting with the puck behing his own goal befire playing it long to Patrick Kane who produced a moment of magic. The puck was travelling a great deal of pace before Kane flicked it first time with his weak hand, letting the puck land perfectly toan unmarked Christopher Gardner who hits it first time through the goaltenders legs. On his debut, Christopher had given his team a third goal, and all he could think about was hugging the main man Patrick Kane.

The game had ended 3-0 with Gardner getting the MVP award. It was the perfect debut. After his coach had told him how impressed he was, Chris was now on his way home to his dog. All he could think about, whilst driving in his recently bought Range Rover, was tonights news and tommorows headlines. There was not even a slight possibility that it would be anything other than himself and Patrick Kane.