Page 38 of The Callahan Effect

"Our gaps are good. Stay patient. Force them wide and let Oscar see the puck."

Finally Viktor Sokolov addressed Oscar with advice.

Coach looked around the room.

"We've been the better team."

He folded his arms.

"Now prove it on the scoreboard."

The second period belonged almost entirely to Evergreen.

Marcus's line set the tone without delay.

Ben won the opening draw back to Owen, whose shot intentionally missed the net and wrapped around the boards to Ethan. Ethan controlled it, found Marcus near the circle, and Marcus forced an excellent save that left the Inland Northwest goaltender scrambling.

The pressure continued.

Cole Whitaker kept two clearing attempts inside the blue line before sending the puck back toward the corner where Ben outmuscled his defender and worked it behind the net.

Our bench came alive.

"Keep rolling!" Coach barked.

When Ryan tapped my shoulder, our line jumped over the boards against a tired defensive unit that had already spent nearly a minute trapped inside its own zone.

"They're gassed," Ryan muttered.

I could see it.

Their defensemen reached with their sticks instead of moving their feet.

Luca circled behind the net, drawing both defenders with him before slipping the puck toward me along the boards. I carried it behind the goal as their captain chased close enough that I could hear every hard stride.

Ryan drifted into the high slot. Nobody picked him up but the opening existed for barely a second. I threaded the puck backward between two sticks and Ryan stepped into it.

His one-timer screamed past the goaltender before anyone reacted. The red light flashed and Evergreen reclaimed the lead.

2-1.

This time our celebration lasted only briefly before we headed toward the bench.

Coach met Ryan first, then caught my shoulder with another quick pat.

"Well done."

Coming from him, those two words meant everything.

As I settled onto the bench waiting for the next rotation, I glanced toward the tunnel.

Jack stood beside Graham and the equipment staff.

He wasn't cheering wildly like everyone else.

He smiled my way and lifted one thumb.

For reasons I still couldn't explain, seeing that approval filled me with as much satisfaction as the assist I'd just recorded.