Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

Practice Makes Perfect

Corey

After Sam sent the email off confirming that she would give the Olympics a shot she got a immediate reply assuring her that she had a spot to try out for the team and she would be able to compete for the starting job. She was to be in Sochi at the beginning of February so they can all get in a few practices in with the team and make a final decision of who would be starting in goal. And in the mean time when she wasn't at the hospital saving lives or helping her brother figure out his life she was going to train with me. So I have her come in early before a practice one day and see a few shots on real ice. Sure she plays in the beer league but she wasn't going to see beer league shots, she was going to see professional ones. So who's better to practice with than some of the defending Stanley cup champions?

So her and I gear up about a hour before practice and take the ice. I have a few of the guys I know who would do me a favor come out and take shots and run drills. So she gets warmed up in the crease and I stretch out next to her.

"Do you know of a place where I can get a new mask" she wonders as her current one sits besides her.

"Yeah, I have a mask guy" I nod.

"I think I'm going to get a new one for the Olympics" she claims.

"Really? What do you want on it" I wonder. A goalies mask is really important to them and whatever is on it means something to them.

"This ones a little worn. I need a new one, maybe one that isn't so predictable" she says.

"You should get one that looks like a your bike helmet, that'll intimidate some people" I laugh and she looks at me.

"I actually really like that" she admits.

"It would be pretty bad ass" I agree.

"That it would."

Eventually Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews come out to take some shots. They warm up a few laps around the ice and talk amongst themselves. Samantha jumps in net and gets the crease to the way she likes it. I call the boys over to go over what to do.

"Alright, lets start with passing and tracking drills. Have Jonny, Sharpy and Seabs in front running passing plays. We'll just have you track the puck and try to keep it out" I explain and she nods. She pulls her mask down and focuses in on the puck.

The guys start passing the puck around and I notice something impressive. She doesn't totally turn her head when watching the puck, instead she moves her eyes so the players can't read when she's going to be aggressive and challenge the play or wait and block the shot. I can tell they couldn't read her very well because they kept making extra passes which is impressive if you ask me. They weren't expecting that and now they're taking their time with the puck to try and get her to bite at it.

The first time around she waits in her net and easily gloves a shot by Sharpy.

"I hope you're not taking it easy on me" she says and I smile.

"Unfortunately we're not" Seabs admits. And he wasn't lying, this is how they ran the drill with me too.

By the next time they run a play she comes out and poke checks the puck while still defending the crease. Even I was impressed with this one.

"Woah. I didn't even know you're going to do that" Patrick admits. "I've never seen a goalie read like you do."

"It's something my dad taught me. I'm not the one supposed to be making moves, and a goalie can easily get burned by being too aggressive or trying to do too much in anticipation of the forward or defenseman. So I'm not trying to predict what you guys are going to do. I'm going to be one with the puck and move with it, not against it. I'm like a mirror so that wherever the puck goes I will too so I can stop it. So instead of prediction, its reaction, and for each action there's a equal and opposite one, that's me" she explains.

"That's brilliant... please don't tell the other goalies" Jonny begs.

"My lips are sealed" she claims as she acts like she's locking them up.

We do that drill for a while before working on rushes and odd man situations. Poor Seabs had to take on Shaw and Patrick and Jonny as a line rushing into the zone with a 3 on 1. At first she wasn't ready but she figured it out pretty quickly. She was a smart girl and adapted on the fly. She could correct herself then fix it in just one shift and that's all the more impressive.

We decide to close out with shootouts and by now some of the other guys come to join us. They watch as she actually does amazing with the shootout. She was standing on her head with some of the saves. Even Jonny was getting frustrated because he couldn't get one past her.

"She's like the Great Wall Of China" he claims as he skates over to me and I laugh.

"She's incredible" I admit.

"Maybe you can learn a thing or two from her" he teases.

"I could learn a lot more than that" I insist.

After a while Coach Q comes out and practice gets started. Samantha starts to head off but she stops when someone starts to call her name. I see Q calling her over and I decide to join them.

"How can I help you" she asks him.

"Where are you going" he wonders.

"Probably to take a shower and head home for a little. I really don't want to be a distraction, I'm sure I've already done enough to this team as is. I'm trying to get out of your hair" she insists.

"We love having you around. I think you should stay and help out with practice" he claims and I raise a eyebrow.

"Really" she smiles.

"Yeah. I know you're working for something now. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best. And right now no one is better than them" Q say pointing his head towards his team.

"It would be a honor" she insists.

"We're working on screening today, lets see what you got" he claims. She skates back onto the ice and I skate next to her. She smiles up at me and I give her a wink before peeling off and heading to my net.

She shares a net with Raanta and I do my job, I was here for a reason after all. And as we work on the drills I can't help but look across the ice. I see a bunch of people sitting back and watching what she does in simple amazement. And it's not even like she was just good for a girl... she was just good. Period.