It begins.

It's been literally half-a-decade so of course the boy's gonna have some pre-game jitters: show up at the wrong rink, skates that aren't his, broken laces.

Is playing hockey at all like riding a bike? I don't actually think so. Though the adrenaline and pure joy come back quickly, the skill you once had has done a bit of deteriorating.

It's the tail end of the second, us boys are down 7-0 to the best team in the league. This is not a comeback story in terms of the score...but this is a comeback story in terms of the Eph.

First shift: blue line somersault, makeout sesh with the boards, swimming on the ice...

Second shift: more of the same...

Third shift: Flowers is wide open in front, the puck ends up right on his stick, he closes his eyes and let's it go, like literally closes his eyes and let's it go, the puck sails between the goalie's legs. Flowers celebrates: rides the stick like Tiger Williams right by the other teams bench, falls down, slew-foots me, pushes me, grins, and skates back to center ice.










It begins.


Hooner is next.