Hockey Night in Chilliwack

 

We were up by 1.The score was 3-2. It was the final minutes of a very tight game.  The opposing team had position of the puck. Skated with it through the neutral zone.  The  puck was passed across the ice to the player skating in on me.  She received the pass and skated across the blue line, into our territory. 

She wound up to take a slap-shot.  I positioned myself between herself and my goalie. (Girls can’t really shoot, right?) She shot. I blocked it. Then… I went down in a heap.

Yes, some girls can really shoot. I am a living testimony of this.  I hobbled off the ice.  My ankle swelled to twice the normal size following this play. I iced it.  Wore slippers to work  the next day just so I could somewhat comfortably move around.  Got called “hoppity” by my husband. But it was all  worth it. 

I re-think the play.  Yes, the puck bounced off my ankle, back into neutral territory. It was a good play. We won the game.  But, I did pay.  If there ever was a way to slow me down, this was it.  Would I sacrifice my body for a play like this in the future? You bet.  That is what competition is all about.