Netting Crow (Blackhawks Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 3

Round 1 - 2014 Playoffs

Since the hockey, more specifically the Corey Crawford, bug had hit I watched games more religiously.  I had never been to a game though, and I was eager to do so.  The opportunity came during Round 1 of the 2014 Playoffs.  The Hawks were playing the St. Louis Blues.  Amanda texted me about the Hawks, and I responded with "We should go to game 6."

She replied, "Really?"

I texted back, "Yes, let's look for tickets."

We finally found some...$250 later, but I knew that it would be totally worth it.  Amanda had been to games before, but she was as eager and excited as I was to go to this playoff game. Game day arrived and I was nearly jumping out of my skin with excitement.  I still only had my two Blackhawks t-shirts, so I put on the Corey Crawford stadium shirt, and I borrowed a Toews jersey from my dad.

Amanda finally arrived at my house, and we were off to the United Center.  On the car ride there, the radio was totally getting my mood.  First song as we merged on to I-94 was "Best Day of My Life," which I was for sure about to have, then on to "Some Nights," which was part of the Stanley Cup 2013 video the Hawks made.  I thought it was a pretty solid start to our playoff game experience.

We arrived at the United Center about 2 hours before puck drop, so after we had our tickets scanned and received our rally towels, we headed to the Blackhawks store.  Then I saw it, the Stadium Series jersey, Crawford.

I touched it and stared at it.  "I want to get this." I told Amanda.

As always the voice of reason, she said "Are you insane?  It's $375.  You can find it cheaper online."

"But it's so awesome!" I whined.

"Let's go!  Let's go down by the ice and watch the warm-up skate." She offered.

"We can do that?!"

"Yes.  It usually starts about 20 minutes before game time."

"That would be awesome."

Sadly, I put the jersey back on the rack and exited the store.  As we headed toward the seats on the Blackhawks end of the ice, I passed a Quill table where people were making signs.  I paused.  Should I make a sign?  Maybe write something witty that would catch Crawford's attention?

"Why did you stop?" Amanda asked.

"I want to make a sign. Would it be wrong to put my phone number on it for Crawford?"  I laughed, but was half serious.

"Seriously?! No.  Are you 13?" She exclaimed.

I thought to myself, "She's probably right.  I'm 33 for goodness sakes.  Not like he would choose you anyway.  I mean you are 5'4 and slightly chubby for being shorter.  Get a grip."

We headed down to the ice.  I was absolutely amazed at what I saw.  The ice, the jumbo-tron, the red.  We took some pictures to remember our experience.  Then we sat down to wait.  We weren't seated long before a United Center person was upon us.

"You can't sit in the front row unless you have tickets." She told us.

"But we just want to watch warm-up." Amanda told her.

"You can from row 2 or any other row."

Amanda and I got up and moved to the row immediately behind us.  We were seated on the curve just to left of the net.  Then it happened.  The song "Here Come the Hawks" began to play, the buzzer went off, and out skated the Hawks.  Of course, they were led by the one and only Corey Crawford.  I was in heaven.  I don't know how many pictures I took during that 15-minute skate, but it was a lot.

I was enamored with what I was watching I didn't even notice Amanda grabbing my arm, pointing and whispering to me.

"I think those are some of the wives and their kids." She whispered.

I pulled my eyes away from Crawford to look at where she was pointing.  There were four women with children.  One of them was pregnant and had with her a small little girl who was wearing a Sharp jersey.  Another woman was very very pregnant.  Another woman had a small little boy wearing a Keith jersey, and the last woman had a child wearing a Brookbank jersey.

"How awesome would it be to be one of them?" I said to her.

She replied, "At least we could watch warm-up from the first row."

As warm-up drew to a close, the wives gathered up their children and headed up to their special seats.  And it was in that moment I wondered, "What would it be like to be in a relationship with a hockey player? Would I fit in with all those other WAGs?"

Little did I know that in less than a year, I would know that answer.