Chapter 42
Coach Wilder wraps up our pregame meeting. The entire team is jacked up about making it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Not a single one of us in the room for that meeting kept our cool. We are hosting the New Jersey Reapers for the first two games of the Final Series, and everyone knows they will be a tough team to beat. Our strategy is laid out. Now, it’s up to us to execute. The culmination of months of hard work, grueling practices, and relentless games has led us here. The stakes are the highest possible, and I can feel the intensity radiating off my teammates as we prepare for the next battle. As I look around the room, I see the determination in my teammates’ eyes. We’ve worked too hard to let this slip away. We have to channel every bit of grit, skill, and heart to win this. It’s time to show the Reapers what the Red Wolves are made of.
This morning, before practice, we have a press conference. It’s the usual media circus—reporters jostling for positions, cameras flashing, and questions being thrown at us from every direction. I've been in the spotlight more than I care to admit, but today feels different. The pressure isn't just on the team; it's on me. As the goalie, my performance tonight can make or break the team. Every save, every move, everything I do will be scrutinized.
As I take my seat at the front, the questions start pouring in. Coach addresses the media, giving his usual measured responses about the team’s preparation and respect for our opponents. I sit next to him, listening but also lost in my own thoughts about the upcoming games. Their questions are typical ones about our strategy, our mindset, and how we are preparing for the Reapers. I answer them with the standard responses, trying to keep my cool and maintain the team’s focus. But then, one reporter asks a question that makes me pause.
“Elliot, how do you see the upcoming series against The Reapers unfolding?”
I lean forward, the competitive fire burning in my eyes. “The Reapers are going to get hosed,” I say, my voice firm and confident. The room is silent for a moment before erupting in a flurry of activity. Cameras flash, and reporters scramble to get their follow-up questions in. Nolan shoots me a quick cautionary look. I stand by my statement, knowing it will fuel the rivalry and set the tone for the series.
“We’ve prepared hard, and we’re ready to show what we’re made of,” I add, doubling down. “Our fans deserve to see us give it everything we’ve got.”
Questions keep coming, so I keep my responses brief, the adrenaline of the impending games coursing through me. The press conference is just the beginning; the real battle is waiting for us on the ice.
After the press conference, the weight of my words settles in. The pressure is immense, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I thrive on this, the high stakes, the do-or-die moments. It’s what makes me the player I am.
Back in the locker room, the guys are ready. My statement lit a fire under everyone, and I can just sense it as everyone gets ready for the game. We are ready to give it everything we have. As I start my pregame routine, my phone buzzes.
Ziggy: I heard about
your comment.
Ziggy: Bold Move.
: Had to set
the tone, you know?
Hearing from her makes me smile. She somehow manages to give me exactly what I need in every moment, a reminder of the personal support that fuels me. I put my phone away, focusing on the game ahead, but her words linger in my mind, giving me an extra boost of confidence.
The team moves through the tunnel toward the ice. My nerves are on edge, but deep down, I know we have what it takes. We are ready to face the Reapers head-on. I plan to lead my team to victory tonight. The puck drops, and the game begins. The Final Series is our chance to prove ourselves, and I’m not going to let anything stand in our way.
The final buzzer sounds, and we collapse against each other on the ice. Barely able to catch our breath, but that does not stop any of us from celebrating. We just endured three exhausting periods, battling the Reapers tooth and nail. Every shift was a war, every puck battle a fight to the death. But we did it. We won by one in the end, the scoreboard reading 3-2 in our favor. The roar of the crowd is deafening, but all I can hear is the pounding of my heart and the cheers of my teammates as we celebrate on the ice. We set the tone, just as promised, and the victory feels all the sweeter because of it. Winning the first game makes the path to the championship clearer than ever. The locker room is as buck wild as it has ever been, but I know we can’t let our guard down. There are still more games to play and more battles to fight.
The guys are all pumped after the win, asking me to join them for a night out to celebrate. I can see the excitement in their eyes, but I am exhausted. I decline, offering some half-hearted excuse about needing rest. Instead, I head up to Ziggy’s hotel room, order some food, and crash on the bed. She isn’t here yet, too busy working and wrapping up the broadcast.
: I’ll be in your
hotel room when you are
Done.
When Ziggy finally arrives, I can tell she assumed that I was going to seduce her. As tempting as the thought always is, I am too drained for anything like that.
“Just hang out with me?” I ask her, pulling her onto the bed.
I turn on the TV to something mindless, and we watch TV until we both fall asleep. The comfort of her presence is more than enough for me. The next morning, I wake up spooning her, my erection pressing against her back, and for a moment, everything feels perfectly right. Her support means everything to me, and I couldn’t be luckier to have her by my side. We still have a long way to go, but with her and the team, I know we can bring home the Cup.
We take a tough hit, losing Game Two at home. The disappointment hangs in the air as we travel to New Jersey for Game Three, hoping to turn things around. All of us know we have to bring our A-game to the next games if we want to win. The journey to the Stanley Cup is far from over. The pressure is on, and I am determined to rise to the occasion and lead the Red Wolves to victory.