Anticipation Day

Mike put his equipment on as he always did: hockey pants first, chest protector second, skates third, elbow pads fourth, shin and knee covers last.

This equipment was pristine and fit Nate perfectly, a far cry from the beat-up equipment he used back in high school.

His skates were professional ones that fit his feet perfectly, as if they were made just for him. Come to think of it, they probably were made for him.

By 6:15 p.m., he was dressed and ready to go. The only thing left was his helmet and a quick word with Coach.

Five minutes later, Coach appeared. Mike, as Nate, called him to get his attention: “Coach, do you have a minute?” Coach turned to him and walked over.

“Sure, Nate. How are you feeling? Dave said you had a good session earlier and seemed to be feeling better.” Coach paused with a face that said: Please tell me you’re good to go.

So, Mike appeased him: “I’m good to go, Coach. Dave mentioned I might tighten up during the game, so I might need quick heat treatment if that happens to get everything loosened up again. I told Dylan and Jeremy I might disappear for a shift or two if it tightens up, but I also wanted to let you know.”

“Okay, thanks for the heads-up. Just see how you feel after warmups, and let’s take it a shift at a time. If you need treatment, just communicate with Coach Ross, and we’ll manage it for whatever time you need. You excited?” Coach asked as if this wasn’t the biggest and scariest night in their lifetimes.

“Excited is one word I’d use,” Mike said sarcastically. “I’m excited, nervous, nauseous, petrified, and just trying to take it all in.”

“Good, you’re all the right things. I’ll see you out there.” Coach tapped his shoulder before moving on to wherever he was going next.

Mike stood there for a few moments reflecting on what he just said. He really was excited, nervous, nauseous, and petrified. But he had forgotten one thing: he was happy. Genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. And it felt good.

He wondered how the others from their group dinner the night before were doing in their simulations. Were they feeling the same mix of emotions?

His thoughts were interrupted by Zach Stevens shouting, “Alright, guys, let’s head out!” as he led the team onto the ice for pre-game warmups.

Mike was heading out with the group in the middle of the pack. The walk from the locker room was short; they made a couple of quick turns, passing some fans waiting on either side of a short glass-lined hallway, and soon they were at the ice-level entrance. The team waited about 30 seconds for the arena announcer to say the famous phrase: “Ladies and gentlemen—welcome to the World’s Most Famous Arena. Please welcome to the ice, your New York Rangers!”

Mike heard the cheers and music above as he waited to head onto the ice. Zach went on first, followed by his linemates and the rest of the team. Mike followed Dylan and Jeremy, and the Madison Square Garden lights came into view as he got closer.

He paused, taking a deep breath. This was the moment he had been looking forward to for his entire life: a chance at taking the ice in an NHL arena. Mike took another deep breath and then stepped onto the ice. After taking a few long strides, he looked around and just took it all in: the bright lights above him, the screaming fans all around him, the banners hanging in the rafters, the excitement and optimism in the air.

He missed the energy that filled an arena on game day. Even though he only experienced high school hockey with a few hundred fans in the stands, that energy always gave the players a boost before the game.

It didn’t matter if everything he saw now was simulated; it felt real to him. He absorbed it all like a kid seeing Disney World for the first time. Nothing in his life could compare to this feeling, which he imagined had to be a similar feeling for any professional athlete that played in this atmosphere.