6:00 PM on the dot. Cars fill the streets. Fans fill the stands. They all sit proudly wearing their teams logo upon their chest. However, for some, it is more then just a logo. It is the symbol that unites a nation as one. It binds friendships and bonds for life. It's a symbol of home.
As the flags wave, the horns sound and music blares, the crowd goes crazy because pregame has started. The players rush on the ice one by one. With their sticks in one hand and the other up in the air waving to the crowd. They skate in circles warming up, taking shots and stretching, preparing for the game ahead. The horn sounds and signals the players to vacate until game time. The scoreboard reads 2 minutes to go. Then 1. Then 30 seconds. Then all of a sudden changes to 20. The clock full, preparing to tick away and count down time in the period. The players anxious, preparing to bring it all the to the table, to make not only themselves proud. But the fans. The ones who drive it all. The ones who devote their lives to the sport where guys chase rubber with sticks. The ones who support through thick and thin.
The whistle blows and its begun. The puck is dropped and sent from one player to another, of the same colours or different. The first period is underway and fans are already getting anxious. Yet also frustrated, because no matter how well their team is playing, no shots are being accepted. The first period ends and the other team is up by 3. But not because your team is lacking skill, they're actually out playing the other team. But because, they are simply, not catching a break.
The next period starts after intermission where you got the chance to take a drink a prepare for the 40 minutes ahead. It is easy to see that being down in scoring is crushing and flustering the home team. They allow in 1 more goal making it 4-0 from the visitors. The second period has ended and the damage done is not as bad as the first but still, noticable enough to everyone on the stands.
As they prepare for the third period. So do the players. They can hear the chants from the crowd. Their minds are at ease hearing the overwhelming support from the arena. They know, they can do this and are ready to do this. For those who stood by them in hard times.
The third period begins and it is nothing short of astounding. The home team manages to even the score. However, it is now going to overtime and the nervousness creeps around the arena once again.
The overtime begins. Right off the first faceoff, the visitors have scored and that's it. The game is finished and the visitors are determined the "winners". When in reality, they are only the " victors " because the real winners are the home players.
They have won much more then just 1 point. They have won the love and support of their home. As, the players skate with their sticks in the air and heads down. They are lifted by noise filling the stands. Now not just any noise. But the noise a group makes when they are proud.
