Ice.

Chapter Forty-Two.

The atmosphere for these games in unmatched. It's intimidating going to other arenas and playing during the playoffs, but even then it's exhilarating. If this is how crazy it gets in the minors, I don't even know what to expect in the NHL. I can't imagine it.

And to top off everything, I signed my official contract with the Sharks a few days ago. The attorney for the Thunderbirds looked it over with me and my agent - oh yeah I have an agent now.

His name is Sean and I met him when I was in the Junior League in Canada. I've always kept in touch with him so when I got drafted, I'd have someone I could trust.

The contact is an entry level standard, but the one thing that kind of made it feel real was the line that said once I dress for a San Jose game, I am no longer allowed to play for the Thunderbirds. I don't know why that hit me a little harder, since I knew that once I was in the NHL I wouldn't even want to go back to the minors, but for some reason it did. I love this team and I love Seattle, so just seeing in writing that I'll be finished with them next season felt really bazaar.

I blink a few times to get my head back into the game, my breathing substantially less borderline worrying now that I've been sitting for a few minutes. I take some of the water that's in the netting in front of me, keeping an eye on Jack as I wait for him to come back to the bench so that I can jump in.

I feel a hand the pads on my shoulder so I look back, seeing Ken leaning over Casey and I. We both turn our attention to him as he points towards the Condor's zone. "I got Povis stationed for a rocket on left wing. I need you both ready to deflect but steer clear of his initial shot, eh?"

We both nod, slipping our mouth guards into place as we see our men come back to the bench. Casey hits my arm right as we're going over the ledge. "I get right."

We depart without another word and jump right into the play. Our defensemen need to switch so I go to one of them who is holding the puck back behind the blue line and relieve him of it. Once I do, the rest of the guys change shifts and Drew Povis jumps on the ice. He starts off on the right side and hangs there, so I immediately know what to do.

I start to advance towards the Condor's end, keeping my strides long but wide as I try to keep the play as unpredictable as possible. As I start to glide towards the left side, I notice Povis start to discreetly make his way across the blue line, even after I'm passed it.

Once I can sense that he's behind me, I lift my stick and nudge it behind while looking towards Casey, faking out the defenseman in front of me who was anticipating the pass to go to him.

I take a long stride to get to the side of the net and away from where Povis is shooting from. That man does have a rocket shot and could easily break a leg with it, so we all try our best to stay out of the way of that.

I can see that the Condor's weren't anticipating for me to drop it back to Povis because they all go into desperation mode, putting their bodies in the way to try and block his shot. I hope for their sake it hits them in the pads.

Everything happens so quickly as Drew winds his stick back and slams it against the puck. It comes whizzing through the Condors on the ice, his aim pretty much impeccible. But I can see that it's a little high, so I act on instinct and take a step towards it, lifting my stick up to just below the crossbar of the goal, so that it's not considered a high stick, and wait for the puck there.

It deflects off my stick and bounces to Casey's feet, where he nudges it in right before the goalie can make the stop.

Fuck yeah!

Casey and I speed around the net and jump into each other, embracing as we body slam into one another.

"Let's go!" I shout, hitting the top of his helmet as Drew comes barreling it to us as well. Soon, everyone else is coming over and we all huddle together.