Alaska | Adam Banks

renewed confidence

CHAPTER FIFTEEN | RENEWED CONFIDENCE

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When the team and I, including Coach Bombay and Ms. McKay, made our way out onto the ice for the third and final period, we all had renewed confidence like we could pull this off. 

The entire time we were making our way back over to the bench, Adam stayed by my side, keeping an arm around me so one, I don't fall because I no longer have my skates on, and two, I knew he needed to be with me at all times, making sure I was okay with going back into the very loud environment. 

At the bench, Coach gave us a small pep talk before doing something I'd only heard about from Adam and the other Ducks. 

"Quack, quack, quack..." Coach started before the rest of us followed. So much for not wanting a headache. 

Soon enough the entire crowd was chanting along with us, getting louder and louder as we did. We were drowning out the sound of the Iceland team's chanting. 

"Go Ducks!"

When the third period started, it was like we were a whole new team. Everyone on the ice was passing back and forth, confusing the Iceland defense that was trying to shove their way into getting the puck from our possession. Everyone on the bench was cheering louder than ever. 

We all screamed when Connie scored on the open shot that they had found, bringing us into a two-point range. 

5-3

The pounding headache I had was fading, but not by much. It must be the adrenaline. 

After, when everyone reset, Iceland got the puck. They got a shot off, but it was saved by Goldberg who quickly cleared it out. Everyone out was doing better than I had ever seen, and Iceland was failing at their previous motive. Each of them were more desperate than before. 

As soon as Averman gained control of the puck, it was taken. Without a warning of any kind, Gunnar Stahl scored on an unexpecting Goldberg. 

6-3

There were several groans heard from our bench, and I watched from where I sat at the end as Coach Bombay and Charlie came up with a play. They always seemed to come up with the right idea at the right time. 

Coach calling a timeout, Charlie went over their play. 

"Charlie, this isn't the NBA," Averman told him with a humorous shake of his head. 

"Trust me, this'll work."

And it did. Adam passed the puck to Dwayne, and while trying to avoid being tripped, skated through the crowd of Iceland defenders. Dwayne cradled the puck off the ice before sending it through the air and to Adam. 

Adam, who was tripped, thankfully got the goal off and I cheered loudly for him, along with everyone else. 

6-4

Him and I made eye contact from across the rink and he grinned widely. I smiled just as widely back as everyone reset. 

At around the eight minute mark, Luis was skating down the ice on a breakaway, using his speed to get away from all the Iceland players. He stopped right in front of the goalie who thought he was going to ram into him. 

"I stopped!" We heard him say loudly. 

"Put it in, Luis!" Coach Bombay shouted at the boy who seemed to forget what we were trying to do. 

We watched as he snuck the puck behind the waiting goalie, and cheered as the buzzer went off. Coach told the players on the ice to switch it up, bringing everyone else on the ice in.