Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

Keeping Secrets.

Samantha

The post season is under way and I was pretty excited to be a part of it. The Blackhawks got a good team here and were expected to do big things. While this years team isn't the same as the team that won it all last year, they were still very good. What happened last year, no one will see anything like that again. We can't expect this Blackhawks team to do the same thing it did a year ago. It's extremely hard to go back to back in this league. Between the salary cap and trades and free agency it's hard to keep teams together. The Blackhawks were lucky because since they won in 2010 they've been pretty much the same team. Losing guys like Dustin and Bolland sucks because those were big playoff guys. My dad and I went to many of the playoff games in 2009 and 2010 while he was still around. We didn't have a lot of chances before then but the 90's teams were pretty fun too. But those guys I watched with my dad are the same guys I got to play with and I now get to work with them. He would have killed to see this, and I wish more than anything he could. So I'm doing my best to make him proud here in my first series as a coach.

We start the series off in St. Louis which sucked because home ice advantage was in their favor, but with it being the Blackhawks they were comfortable playing anywhere. They lose the first game in over time but they feel comfortable going forward now that all the post season jitters are out of the way.

"Ayo Coach Sam" someone yells and I stop in my tracks as I head out of practice. I see Andrew Shaw running over to me before stoping next to me. "Have you talked to my girlfriend yet today" he asks me.

"Indeed I have. We're about to all go get lunch. Why" I ask.

"Well she told me she got me something special and you know me.. I gotta know what it is. What is it" he asks and I roll my eyes. This man might actually be a puppy.

"I don't know what it is, and I wouldn't tell you if I did. Chaun is my friend, I wouldn't sell her out like that" I defend.

"But I'm your friend too! And we work together" he tries.

"I'm not going to tell you Mutt" I assure him as he starts to pout. "You're going to have to wait and find out like a normal person."

"I'm not a normal person" he whines.

"No... no you're not" I laugh.

I make it out of the ice arena and over to a nice restaurant in downtown St. Louis. Of course I would rather be in Chicago because it was my favorite city in the world, but being with the girls made it a lot easier to get out. A lot of them don't travel but the postseason was the exception to that.

So I slide into the booth pretty happy that I can still fit in it. It feels like my stomach grows every day as I approach 4 months. We all order our foods and I try to be healthy for the baby. We sit there and talk because we always find ways to hang out. Usually Abby Sharp or Elina Hjarlmarson sets up lunches and baby showers and bachelorette parties and stuff like that. I try to help out but being one of the only girls who work and with it being with the team at that it's hard. But I join them every chance I get and I always have a good time when we see each other.  For the most part we all get along pretty well and I'm happy that we get to do stuff like this, even on the road.

"Your boyfriend is going crazy trying to figure out what you did for him" I tell Chaunette as I place the menu back on the table.

"You didn't tell him, did you" she asks.

"Of course not! I wouldn't do that to you" I promise.

"He is pretty insistent. When he puts his mind to something not a lot can stop him from getting what he wants" she admits.

"Oh trust me, I know. He gets away with more than most people would" I giggle.

"It's a part of his charm" she sighs.

"It's what gets him beat up" I joke.

"Yeah that too" she laughs.

We order our food before talking around. Everyone seemed pretty excited that there was going to be another baby running around the United Center on game days. I was nervous but they assured they would all help me. Elina and Abby and Dayna and a few other girls are already hockey moms, they knew what to expect and how to help me. They were so excited for the baby shower but it was going to be a struggle. We needed a time for planning before the season was over and after we figure out the gender and names and stuff. But I'm sure we will figure it out somehow.

"How do you still look like you could play hockey right now" Dayna asks me and I laugh.

"I don't know" I shrug. "I'm still working out and do a few things here and there while I can. But I am defiantly feeling more pregnant now a days" I admit.

"Oh I hope it's a girl. We have so many boys already" Abby admits. She had a little girl who was born last year but she's about the only one. Everyone else seemed to be having boys.

"I want at least one of each eventually. My parents had one boy and one girl and got to live the best of both worlds even though I was basically one of the guys. But I'm starting to get itchy wanting to look at names and baby things" I admit.

"What names do you have in mind" Abby wonders.

"Corey and I have talked about it but nothing is set. If it's a boy it's defiantly going to be Brian after my dad. If it's a girl I liked Harper or Mia. Something that people won't butcher but isn't very common either. But I'm really not set on names yet" I admit.

"Well I can't wait for it to get here. It's going to be so lucky to have you as a momma. And I know Corey is super excited too" Chaun admits. Andrew and Corey were pretty good friends. I would say besides Bryan Bickell and Duncs and Seab's Corey and Andrew were the closest.

"He's been great. I know all of this is pretty crazy, but I'm lucky. I know I got you guys once this all becomes too much and I lose my mind" I laugh.

"We got you" Dayna promises. "Our boys night be a team but we are too."