Toronto Love

4

I have so much going on this week: championship game against Penn State on Sunday, school Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Thursday afternoon I am flying in to Toronto for the drake concert on Saturday which is also my 21st birthday. Mitch thinks I'm coming in Friday night but little does he know, I'm going to surprise him coming in a day early so I can see his game on Friday. Auston is helping me set this all up. It's going to be a super exciting, dreadful, crazy week but it's going to be awesome.

"I can't believe Connor McDavid followed you on Instagram." My roommate Abby says.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" I question getting out my phone to look.
"Yeah- the Connor McDavid followed you and liked a bunch of your photos. I think he's tryna slide in your dms Teagan. Hit him up!!"
I roll my eyes and see not only him but a bunch of other NHL players had followed me. How all of a sudden did they find and start to follow me?
"It's because Mitch and Dylan both posted photos of you on their Instagrams T! That's why. I wouldn't be mad though." She says.
I'm not mad, it's just still weird having all these famous athletes follow me. Not even just NHL players- MLB and other sports also.

I haven't really gotten on Instagram in a while so I never check my notifications. It's usually girls trying to follow me to send me hate or just ask for the guys' numbers. Or it's guys trying to hook up with me just to get closer to the players.

<fast forward to Sunday>

Today is the biggest game of all games. Championship Sunday they call it in basketball but hey, why can't I say it for hockey?
If we win, we win it all.
The game is at 2pm so I try to sleep until 11:30 but my mind is just going all over the place so it keeps me wide awake. My dad couldn't make it but at least Dylan is making a trip in since they are out of the playoffs. My brother Tyler and his wife, my sister in law- Morgan is also making a trip down.
When I arrive at the arena with Abby and Franky, there are a shit ton of people there. The most I've ever seen. Photos of us taken as we were walking in, interviews just like we were superstars or something.
I always hated interviews.

It was time for warmups our on the ice before the game had started. As I went out, I took it all in and looked around the arena. I seen one familiar face that's sitting on the end behind our bench. It's Uncle Chief. He's not really my uncle but he's like a second father to me. He played along side with my dad for the flyers and played for the Maple leafs also. His name is Craig Berube. He's always been there for me and like today, he's here watching me play because my dad couldn't make it and also he wanted to see me win a national championship. Now, he coaches for the St.Louis Blues.
I smile and wave to him, throwing him a puck. I see him every summer, we go visit him at his lake house and we see each other through the season a few times.
We were just speaking the other day and he never mentioned coming. Was he going to tell me if I didn't see him there?

The buzzer goes off which means it's time to get off the ice to go back in the locker room. Before I head down the runway, I have a little chat with Craig. The nervousness and butterflies come in my stomach now that there's 2 minutes left until puck drop.
I played hundreds of games and I still feel like this before everyone, especially this one today.

The puck drops and Franky takes it down and scores easily. 1,2 goals in the first 8 minutes. What an amazing start until the end of the first period, we start to fall apart. Now down 4-2. This is going to be such a high scoring game. It's only the first period.
We come back after first intermission with a different mind set and make it tied up going into the 3rd period. Penalty shot for us, Paige shoots and scores, 5 hole passed the goalie.
We are now leading Penn State by one coming up to the last 2 minutes in the game. They called it one of the best endings in collegiate women's hockey for Michigan. We were tied with them once again, 5-5, with only 3:17 left in the 3rd period until we came out full force. My line, scored two goals in 48 seconds. One of those scored by myself. It was time for penn state to pull the goalie which didn't put them in favor anyway. The next line comes on after we took a rest. Breakaway but the Wolverines. She shoots and scores! The whole place erupts and the game is over.
We won.
We beat Penn State 8-5. 13 goals total. I couldn't believe it.
Everyone threw up their sticks, gloves, and helmet and rushed to the goalie, jumping off the bench or skating over to her. We were all jumping and crying with happy tears. I am a sophomore and won two titles!
Just like the Stanley cup, we pass around the trophy and skated around. Getting hats, shirts, and rings to remember the moment and show it off to people.

My phone filled up with messages from all of my friends and family.