Breaking Through These Walls

Chapter 22

Rian's POV

I'm in the locker room getting ready to play Switzerland. We won our first game against Finland 3-1. We are all looking to come out on fire against Switzerland. I listen to my music, getting into the zone, prepping myself for the game. I pull out Dan's Bruins jersey from my backpack and burry my face in it. I always find comfort in that jersey. I put on Herb Brooks' famous speech he says before the game against the Soviets in Miracle. I start to imagine what I'm going to do on the ice and what I can do. This is my time. I came here for one thing. Gold. I wasn't leaving here until a gold medal was hung around my neck. I won't settle for second best this year. This year, our team, team USA, was going all the way.

I take my face out of my brothers jersey. I take my beats off just as coach Stone walks in.

"Alright ladies. Today is a new day, a new team. We are going with the same lineup as last time. Kessel and Knight on the wing, Grizz, you're at center. O'Shan and Marvin on defense. Vetter in the cage. We need to come out on fire. This team isn't strong, but they will take advantage if you make a mistake. Come out strong and don't let up. Take the win against the Finns as boost, but don't let it get to your heads. Play a physical, disciplined game. Grizz, keep your temper under control, but still be a physical presence. You girls have worked far too long and hard to not get the results you want. Let the gold be your motivator. Let's go ladies! Who do you play for?" Coach yells.

"USA!" We all yell. We get up and take the ice. I take a few laps before taking a spot by the bench to stretch.

"Hey Grizz." I look up to see coach Jay leaning on the boards. I stand up and lean on them beside him. "Watch the goaltender." He states. I watch what she does and the shots her teammates are taking.

"She likes to go down." I observe.

"And she goes down easily." He adds.

"So in other words, get her to go down and go top shelf." I state.

"Guaranteed goal every time."

"Their defense are huge." I state looking back at the Swiss team.

"That shouldn't be a problem." He replies.

"Too slow." I say after watching a forward blow right by the defense.

"Use your speed tonight. Kill them with your speed. Take the puck outside, beat them wide, then cut to the middle. Use your body. You are small but you can get leverage on these girls. They have to get lower than usual to hit you, use that to your advantage." He states.

"Alright." I state.

"Go get 'em." He taps my helmet before I skate away to warm up. Lexi feeds me a pass and I rip a slap shot, blowing it past Jessie.

"Lucky shot." Jessie says to me.

"That should have been an easy save." I harass her.

The horn sounds just as the warm up time expires. We all gather around the net with our sticks in the air, making a teepee. Meghan Duggan, our captain, gives us all a pep talk. We all disperse as the starting line up stays on the ice and the rest of the team goes on the bench. I slap my stick against Jessie's pads for good luck. She does the same to me with her stick. I skate to center ice, getting ready for the puck to drop.

The ref blows the whistle and I get in my stance, watching the refs hand. Once he drops the puck, I tie up the Swiss center and kick the pick back to Gigi. She takes it back a few steps before passing it over to Amanda. I untangle myself from the other center and get myself back into the play.

Amanda takes the puck into the zone, going down into the corner, swinging behind the net. Hilary fills in the high slot as I follow Amanda's path behind the goal line. She passes the puck up to Gigi, who passes it over to Lexi. She looks at her options and decides to go back to Gigi. I pop out onto the right half wall, lifting my stick up for a pass. Gigi sends the puck my way and I catch the pass before passing back up to Lexi who one times it on net. It deflects wide as Amanda catches it behind the goal line. I go to the opposite corner opening up space. I get the puck and soon pass it up to Hilary who takes a quick shot, beating the goaltender glove side. The horn goes off as Hilary and the rest of us celebrate.