Petcov. Number two. I reach up and pull my jersey down from the hanger. Hickey is taping his stick and Crowley is getting ready for a pep talk.
My coach walks in and yells “Ten minutes til game time boys!”
I put my jersey on and pop my headphones in… close my eyes and go into a different world. I step onto the ice with power in my first stride and the intensity of the crowd fills the ice rink as we begin our warm ups. “Horseshoe!” we form a horseshoe formation inside our blue line with a puck. I take my position and grip my stick lowering my hand for a slap shot
“Petcov! Do you understand the power play?” –Uh Yeah “Focus boys because when it comes to the ice theirs no time to think about it you guys need to read the play and react quick when it comes to power pl…”
yeah. yeah. but all I could focus on is the ice. I shoot the puck that hits the post and dings in. I’m feeling it tonight. The buzzer rings moments later indicating the start of a forty five minute battle. Everything is going by so quick. But its alright, I’m in the zone. The energy of the crowd settles down and I can finally hear what the person next to me is saying. “Petcov and Marren your out on defense”. A quick rush surged through my body. I was good to go. We skated out to center ice and lined up for the face off. All eyes were fixed on us as we glided to our spots. The ice felt just right and I dug my blades in waiting for the puck to drop. From the second it left the refs hand I watched it fall to the ice and as it hit the ice the opposing center hit my center and the intensity of the crowd filled the rink again. I step up, pulling the puck out of the little scrum and make a quick saucer pass over a stick to my left wing who carries it into the zone. I trail my forwards as they enter the zone and I slowly sneak my way to the weak side post.
“Yo Petcov” over from the left – I pull a headphone out of my ear. What’s up? “You ready for this game?” –Yeah without a doubt. Crowley’s pep talk is over. How much time until we go on the ice? I asked. “Five minutes”, someone said over from the right side of the locker room. Coach tells Crowley “Alright, for warm ups today we’ll go horseshoe and then…”
But I was back in my world again. I popped my headphone in and I thought about the intensity of the crowd, not being able to hear anyone next to me, and oh yeah the opening faceoff. I pass to my winger on the left and he goes around the net. The opposing players are covering the high slots and I slowly start to sneak back door. My winger fly’s around the net and picks his head up but and can’t find anyone open. That’s when I go. I sneak behind everyone on the weak side and head straight to the back door (the opposite side the puck is on). We meet eyes and he sends me a perfect pass. I wind up and onetime it to the back of the net. The level of intensity jumps to a new level and I’m surrounded by my teammates a few seconds later. We skate past our bench slapping high fives down the line and everyone is going nuts.
“Randy” Crowley says standing in front of me. – I take off my headphones. “Let’s go we’re on the ice.
