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42 // MARCH 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM The Big Game The whistle blew, I felt the adrenaline through my blood. I had the determination of a bull, waiting for the refs to drop the puck. Shot after shot and yet no goals. The thoughts of winning kept rushing through my brain as I remembered what we learned. "Skate hard and your chance will come," coach said. Icing, the faceoff would be in our zone. As the lineup prepared, we lost the draw as the puck flew to the enemy's defense I skated as hard as I could and boom. I blocked the shot. Skating down the ice, I shoot. Goal. I celebrated with a jump and my teammates smiling. We still had a game to play. Whistle after whistle, buzzer after buzzer No one could score. Buzz! The game ended like that. We were the champions of the tournament, my team shouting and screaming with joy, we were all rewarded with a medal. I had the greatest time of my life. CONOR NICOLINI Age 12 Coral Springs, Fla. POEM S L A PS GA L L E RY Minnesota Wild J A C K FA I M A N A g e 9 M a p l e w o o d , M i n n . Hartford Whalers Logo C A LV I N B A R R O W S A g e 6 M e d w a y, M a s s . Pastrnak Jersey J U L I A N A K O L E S A g e 9 M e l r o s e , M a s s . Thomas Greiss A L I E VA N E K A g e 1 1 B a s k i n g R i d g e , N . J . Goalie B R O D Y B A S I L O T T O A g e 6 To m s R i v e r, N . J . Tommy Hawk K I R B Y A N D E R S O N A g e 8 H o w e l l , M i c h .