When We Write the Stars

Chapter 20: Hayden

     The second we stepped out onto the ice the next day, things felt bigger than I could've imagined. Their rink was a lot larger than ours, and since we were both such good teams the stands were packed full, and I didn't see a single person wearing the signature Seaport Blue. We were a long way from Washington, that was for sure. Everyone from the fans in the stands to the guys on the ice were looking at us like we were scum, and to them we were.

     Boston College was looking really good this year, they had Conner Percy who'd been a first-round draft pick in this year's draft and would probably be signed and playing for the Oilers within the next year or so. He was insanely good and was averaging 0.95 goals per game, which was insane. Half the guys on our team were excited just to be skating on the same ice as him, he was that good. I'd given a few of our younger guys looks during warmups trying to get them to stop gawking over 'a generational talent' as ESPN was calling him. No matter how good he was, and the rest of their team for that matter. We could beat them, we had to beat them.

     By the third period, it was not looking like we could beat them. I was trying to remain optimistic, the game was tied 2-2; however, we'd been playing sloppily for the past few minutes, getting the puck stolen from us twice. To make matters worse, Payne was currently in the penalty box giving them a power play and the perfect opportunity to score, and I was stuck sitting on the bench watching because it wasn't my shift.

     It was their second power play of the night, they'd scored one of their goals on the first, and I'd been on the ice for that one, but we changed who was on the ice for the second power play to try to throw them off, using a slightly different strategy which was good since things hadn't gone well the first time.

     I practically watched in slow motion as Percy got the puck and started going for it, faking out one of our d-men and then sending it straight into the corner of the net. 3-2. There were still five minutes left in the game, so we weren't completely screwed, we could come back from this if we could start playing the way we normally did. Boston was creaming us, and we were just letting them.

     My line got sent back out onto the ice now that the powerplay was over, and I shared a look with each of my linemen as we lined up, we were going to do everything we could to get another goal. We couldn't lose our perfect record, not now. The second the puck dropped, I lunged for it and sent it back towards Coleman and skated forward, trying to get into position for one of the plays we'd been working on in practice this week.

     He skated forward, taking a few of their players with him, and then sent the puck towards me, I then passed the puck towards Payne, who should've then been in the perfect position for a shot, but it was intercepted by none other than Conner Percy. He skated it down, being followed by one of our sophomore d-men but it was no use. He took the shot just him and our tendie, and it went in. 4-2.

     We skated our asses off for the remainder of the period but it was no use. Our perfect record was gone, and Boston was all too happy to be the one to take it from us.

     "See you in the frozen four," one of their players called out, "Or not."

     It wasn't even that good of a jab, but I still had to grab Coleman's jersey to keep him from lunging after the guy. Boston College was one of the more verbal teams and had been making jabs at us all night. It was a part of the game, everyone did it. In most games, I'd say stuff to guys I'd never actually say in real life, it was just a part of playing. Boston was just extra nasty about it, and sometimes when it all piled up you just wanted to punch someone, fighting was a huge no in NCAA hockey though. That was one of the biggest differences between us and the pros. I couldn't wait till I was actually able to hit a guy and just get a penalty for it instead of being kicked out of the game.

     "Okay boys," I say once we're all in the locker room, and Coach has finished berating us for tonight's game, "Tonight wasn't the outcome we wanted. Let's work our asses off some more, then stick it to them in the Frozen Four. They're good, but I know we can be better." It wasn't my best speech ever, but I was here to play hockey, not to inspire others. Payne patted me on the back, and then we all got changed.

     The locker room after a loss was always the weirdest atmosphere, especially at away games. We all had to just awkwardly change while thinking about everything we could've done better. Then to make matters worse we'd get back on a bus and sit there thinking about everything some more, knowing another team was out there celebrating. It was especially bad since we lost our record. It was inevitable that we'd lose a game at some point, but it really blows that it was such a big one.

     It was an afternoon game, so we took the bus back to the hotel and then had about an hour until we had to leave for the airport. It was the quietest bus ride followed by dead silence as we packed our things and took the bus to the airport. We were all really feeling this loss, it's the first one we've had together this year. I think or hope at least that it was eye-opening and that any of the guys who thought we could just coast our way into the final tournament see now that it's still going to take work to prove that we are the best team in the NCAA. And I know we are, or at least can be. This game was off, but we can and will come back and prove just how good we are.

     The following week, we get on that grind with practice, and I'm if possible even more focused on hockey than before. I push myself harder in my workouts both on and off the ice and take time to work with each guy on the team individually on something. We're playing two games this weekend, one on Friday night and one on Saturday both at home against one of the Colorado schools. We need these wins, both as a morale boost and to keep our ranking high. Right now we're leading our conference, but Colorado's ranked third and has been playing pretty well lately.

     I haven't seen or even talked to Cassie outside of class since we left for Boston, I've needed to focus on hockey and I think she understands that. No matter what happens this weekend, I'll try to make time for her after both games are done, but hockey has to be my main focus. I've skipped almost all my classes this week. There's no way Toronto wasn't paying attention to our game against Boston College, it was nationally televised so they wouldn't even have to go out of their way to watch it. I need to do everything in my power to show them that last weekend was just a fluke and that I'm an even better player now than when they drafted me.

     Friday night, as we stand out on the ice for the national anthem, the energy around me feels different. I think it's a combination of being a home game and seeing our colors in the stands, and the effort everyone's been putting in this past week. I look at each of these guys and can see how much they want to win, from the on-ice workouts I did with both our goalies to the run I went on with one of our D-men, to the water aerobics workout I had the freshmen do at the pool yesterday, mostly as a joke, I can see how hard my guys have been working.

     And by the second period, it's really showing how hard we worked. I don't know if Colorado decided we'd be easier to beat after losing to Boston or what, but we're winning 6-2, with goals from five different guys. I assisted three of the six and got a shot of my own, and I have no doubt if we'd played Boston the way we're playing tonight it would've been an entirely different game, but that doesn't matter now because right now we're here and have one more period to show Colorado who's boss.

     The final score is 8-3 and the energy in the locker room after the game is insane, I want nothing more than to go out and celebrate this win with my boys, we earned it, but we have another game tomorrow. "Listen up guys, trust me I want to celebrate this win tonight too, but we've got to play them again tomorrow, and they're going to be mad after tonight's loss, so don't show up tomorrow hungover and let them even the playing field. Let's sleep tonight, do this again tomorrow then celebrate like there's no tomorrow after."

     That was one of my longer speeches, and it earned me some nods from the more experienced guys on the team and some disappointed looks from our big partiers. I have no doubt a few guys will still party tonight, but I think the majority is as serious about this as I am. We can celebrate when we're dead for all I care, winning is the only thing that matters.

     We won again on Saturday, 3-2. Still good, but not good enough. I have to keep pushing and keep working. Nothing else matters. Everything else is a blur I can hardly remember. Anything anyone says or does unrelated to hockey goes completely past my radar, I have one purpose and one focus until that trophy is in my hands.