Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

A Season To Remember

Samantha

The 2014-2015 season was full of ups and downs. Of course trying to work with a newborn wasn't easy, but Mia made everything so much more fun. She got to do so many things like skate around with us during the winter classic and catch a game in the great outdoors. She had her first halloween and Christmas and even got to visit uncle Shawn in Michigan to watch him play. I was so happy to have her along with me and share these memories with her and Corey. Of course she won't remeber any of this but we will. Our little family we have, it was more than I could have ever hoped for and I loved them more than life itself.

Everything was pretty much perfect, that is until the playoffs come around. Corey was struggling with a concussion going into the post season and the backup goalie Scott Darling got hurt in game one of the series. So I decided that I would help my team out as much as I can. I had been training with them for a few months by then practicing with them and talking about joining the team as a player the next season should things continue to manifest well. But they needed me now and I wasn't going to let them down.

So I signed a entry level contract and was put on the team for the rest of the playoffs. Luckily for me this 2015 team was really good and Corey got better, though I have a theory that he drew his concussion out a little longer so I had to play more. But luckily for me he did get better and played most of the games in the last series against the Lightning. And he did great in his return, including this game where we captured the Stanley cup and Corey had a shut out as we won 2-0 and for the third time in six seasons, we were the Stanley cup champions. 

We all flood on to the ice and right over to Corey where the celebration starts. I get pushed into the middle of the circle and kinda black out for a little. Once I come to I find myself in Corey's arms as he smiles down at me.

Eventually everyone breaks apart from the celebration circle that ensues right after we won and the guys come up and thank me for helping out. Of course I would always help them out, this was my team after all. Playing for them in the playoffs was a dream come true and I couldn't wait to continue as a full time player next year.

"We did it baby, we did it" he cheers as we slide across the ice. I give him a quick kiss before smiling up at him.

"We did it" I smile.

They roll out the carpet and Bettman gets met with boos, even from the home crowd who just won the Stanley cup. He announces Duncan Keith as the MVP and I go over to congratulate him. A goalies best friend is a defenseman and there's no one better than him when it comes to scoring and playing defense. He's won the Norris and the cup already so now he can check this off his list too. There are few defensemen I would put ahead of him at this point.

Once that was done they give Jonny the cup. That gets handed around and Corey eventually gets it. In a unsurprising turn of events he skates over to me with the biggest smile on his face. He passes me the cup and I lift it up.

"Give it a skate, for your dad" he whispers in my ear. I feel the tear come up but I suppress it for now. I had to show my dad what we did.

I skate to the center of the ice and lift the cup above my head. This moment had a lot of meaning, being the first woman to lift this thing as a player, to be able to get to this moment as a coach. Being the first woman to do a lot of things in professional sports this was for all the girls who wants to be in this moment to some day. And now they see that they can do it too with hard work and a good support system.

I turn to Corey's parents and my mom and brother who was sitting behind the net. I see my mom crying and my brother sitting there with his phone up cheering really obnoxiously as he recorded it, like Corey and I at his graduation. I smile big as I nod at them. They knew this was for dad, he knew it too.

I pass the cup to Shawzy because that was my buddy and I move over to Corey. We watch our friends lift the cup before they let media and family down. Corey's mom hands me Mia and I hold her in my arms. She's eight months old now so she's still pretty small. But she saw me and she smiles big as I hold her. She had on a jersey that was half mine and half Corey's number with both of our last names on the back. I kiss her perfect little face as she smiles so big.

We do some interviews and I try to get to everyone who wanted to talk to me. For someone who only played in about half the games and not since game one of these finals I sure was getting a lot of attention. But I get it, this is history after all and everyone wants to be a part of it. I just want to make sure some other girls join me.

"Cup time" someone yells and I see my brother bringing the cup over. His one goal was to put Mia in the cup and of course I agreed. So I set her in there and she fit perfectly.

"Awh that's precious. Can we get you and Corey in there too" someone asks and I nod. I go to grab Corey but he wasn't where I saw him last.

"Where is he" I ask.

I turn around and find him behind the cup where Mia was. He was where Shawn was moments ago as he kneeled by the big metal trophy holding out child.

"Oh! There you are" I say as I skate to the other side.

When I get there he doesn't stand up to take the pictures, he stays on his knee as he just smiles at me. He reaches into the cup and pulls out a little black box. I quickly realize what was going on and I freeze.

"Corey I swear to god if this is a joke and your other ring is in there I won't be afraid to kill you in front of all these people" I threaten.

But he opens up the ring box and I see a normal ring in there. "Samantha Miller, you've made a lot of people in this world happy, both near and far. And I am lucky enough to be able to call you mine. And I would really like to call you mine forever.

So Sammy, will you marry me" he asks.

I quickly nod my head as the tears I had been holding back fall down. There was no way I was going to be able to fight this one off.

He slips the ring on my finger and I pull him into a kiss. It was weird with both of us covered in goalie pads but to be honest with you, I wouldn't want it any other way.