Page 324 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

Coach makes a few adjustments on the whiteboard, reminding Toby and our other defensemen to close the passing lanes more quickly through the neutral zone. Caleb quietly points out a shooting tendency he'd noticed from their top line, while Toby jokes that if Liam misses one more open net, he's donating his stick to the equipment manager.

"I hit the crossbar."

"You missed."

"It was artistic."

"It was loud."

Laughter ripples around the room. Coach lets it. Then he caps the marker and looks around at all of us.

"We're playing our game." He points toward the board. "Keep doing it."

His eyes find mine for only a second.

"No heroics."

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. "I've heard that somewhere before."

"You've ignored it somewhere before."

"Fair."

Coach smiles faintly. "Let's keep improving."

***

The third period begins exactly where the second ended.

Fast.

Physical.

Relentless.

Every shift feels as though it could decide the game. The visitors press early, forcing Caleb to make two outstanding saves in less than a minute. One shot catches him high on the shoulder before dropping safely into his glove.

The crowd roars its approval. I skate past and tap the top of his pads. "Nice stop."

His typically Caleb dry response: "I'd rather you kept the puck at the other end."

"I'll see what I can do."

Midway through the period, we finally begin tilting the ice in our favor.

Shift after shift, we wear them down. Not with spectacular plays. With patience.

Coach has preached it for years.

Keep coming.

Eventually something opens.

***

On my next shift, Ethan jumps over the boards beside me.

He adjusts one glove as we skate toward the face off circle.