Prolog
It was game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals and coach Quenneville, who all the Blackhawks called Coach Q, had decided to use me for a goal tender… again. I had not had a night off in a really long time and was really exhausted. I knew, however, that I could not let my team mates down, for this was a big game and it was huge that we had made it this far in the season.
I put on my bulky pads and my skates and headed out to the ice when my name was called… While the announcers were announcing, I warmed up, and saw a lot of flashes in the stands.. I never understood why fans felt the need to snap pictures of me while I was warming up, but hey, whatever. I had a game to play.
Sometime, and about a billion saves later, I realized that there was only about a minute left of the third and final period, and the scores were tied. The puck was on the side of the ice though, and had been there for a good long time so I figured I had time to take just a quick look around. Which is something that I would later learn was a mistake.
I turned my back for only a second, and I what I saw caught my breath in my throat, which also went dry. I felt as though my captian, Jonathan Toews (and pronounce it Taves or else he will kill you.) had just made skate a billion laps as he was entitled to do. It was like nothing else was there just me and this mysterious looking blonde.
“CROW! LOOK OUT!!” Huh? I thought I heard Kaner’s voice.. I turned and I looked and number 17 for the Boston Bruins, Milian Lucic, was crossing into my ice. I didn’t even have any time to prepare for the damn puck that was flying at my face, that didn’t mean I didn’t try though. I felt my gloved hand go up and try to catch the flying puck, but the sound of the wind that echoed through my helmet told me I had not caught it. I stole another glance up at the stands, the opposite side to the girl I had seen earlier, I made it look like I was distracted. At least maybe then Tazer wouldn’t take it too hard on me.
I heard the goal alarm go off and knew I had messed up as I began to take off my helmet and my team mates, Tazer more specifically, skated right up to me.
“Its okay Corey, don’t beat yourself up over this. Everyone has a bad day every now and again. Besides, Crow, I learned this when I was younger, you have to take the bad with the good and loose a few so you can remember that feeling of joy and pride when you win.” Toews told me, being friendly for once. I was honestly surprised. He isn’t usually that friendly.
I stole one more look to the stands just a quick glance, when I had to look back up.
Something occurred to me right then and there…
I watched and I looked a little bit closer. My name and number was walking away from me. I was not the only one that was a wee bit distracted during that game I thought.
“Hey Crow, why the red face?? Oh god, Corey, you better not start crying.” I heard fellow teammate, Patrick Sharp say. He could be so annoying sometimes.
“Im not crying Sharpie. My face is cold, and you should know that when my face is cold, it turns red. That’s just how my face works. Now, if you will so kind as to excuse me, I need to finish changing and go back to my apartment before it gets too trafficky outside.” I said, rudely pushing past him to my cubby.
He cocked his head to the side. “Corey? Seriously, are you alright?” he asked, walking out to the car with me. I would be lying if I said he wasn’t like a best friend to me.
I dared to look him in the eyes, and sighed. “Look Sharp, that was my best and my worse game all in one, and I would have been able to make that damn save if I hadn’t gotten distracted.”
“Corey, I could be wrong but, didn’t Jonny already give the ‘Everybody-messes-up-sometimes’ talk?” He asked me, now leaning against my truck.
“Yeah, he did but he doesn’t know why I messed up, and if he did, im almost certain he would find a way to get rid of me.” I said as my head fell in shame. I let a jersey get in the way of the most important game of the season.
Sharp’s face softened. “Well, why did you mess up, Cor?”
“Sharpie…” I lifted my head, once again daring to meet the eyes of the dark haired thirty one year old, “I saw a girl, Sharp. She was mesmerizing, with long wavy blonde hair and fair skin… it felt like her and I were the only ones in existence when she locked eyes with me. And then when Tazer was giving me the talk, I glanced back up there, and I saw my name and number walk away from my line of sight and now if Toews finds out… well I wont be goaltender for this awesome team anymore.” I explained, hoping he wouldn’t rat me out.
“If Toews finds out what?” oh boy, here we go. That was Patrick Kane, Tazers brother from another mother.
I looked to Sharp, hoping he would cover for me… I am a terrible liar and I know that Kaner knows that and will take advantage of it.
“Well, Crow and I were just planning a victory party for if we win the Cup. We just don’t want him to know yet.” Sharpie said, smiling, then whispering to me, “You owe me one pal.”
“Right. Well, I wont tell him. But I gotta get a move on. Ill see you two at practice tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah I have to get going to. My wife is probably wondering where I am haha,” Sharpie said, chuckling.
I got in my own my truck, praying against everything that Jonathon would not find out about this… even if I had the sinking feeling he would.
