The Boys of Winter (Miracle)

Because the Night

Sitting around in a cramped living room space was the last place a bunch of twenty-something hockey players wanted to be spending their Friday night. However, the uncertainty of Minnesota weather in the early fall led to a large thunderstorm that seemed to put an unspoken damper on the evening. 

For guys like Pav and Buzz, a quiet evening in was nothing atypical. Yet, for the guys used to a happening and social atmosphere at this time of the week, this scenario was rather intolerable. Especially after another long, grueling week of training camp, players needed some opportunity to let loose and enjoy their freedoms. 

"So, what's the plan tonight, boys?" Silky questioned, turning over and shaking a clearly empty bottle of beer to emphasize the fact that the team was currently facing an alcohol shortage. 

Getting up from his spot on the arm of the couch, OC shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know if this is what you Minnesotans call fun, but I think I'd get more of a rush out of watching paint dry right about now." 

"Well, we could go out and get some more twelve-packs..." Wells remarked from the kitchen, holding open the door to a completely empty fridge. 

"Psh! Boys, if we're gonna go out, let's go OUT!" OC shouted, throwing his hands up in excitement. "Don't you guys want to actually do something with the night?!" Jack always seemed to have a particular knack for hyping up his teammates, both on and off the ice. 

With wide eyes, Coxie stood up and wrapped an arm around OC. A small smirk emerging on his face, he announced, "Now, hear me out boys... Roller disco!"

 The idea was immediately hit with many acknowledgments of approval, and soon enough about half the group was off to the Twin Cities Roller Rink. OC, Rizzo, Coxie, Silky, and Bah met Koho, Neal, Wells, Eric, and Riff at the popular nightclub. After almost four months together, the team was starting to gel, overcoming the lingering tensions of college rivalries. 

When it came to letting loose, the pack had different ideas of how to spend the night. Rizzo and Bah, both being in relationships, settled at a table to enjoy the atmosphere. Meanwhile, OC and Silky went straight for the bar, racking up pitchers to bring back to the others. Wells, Eric, and Riff were very much outgoing, but of naive type. The three strapped on roller skates and hopped right on the dance floor, unaware of anything except each other's bad dancing. For them, that was all the fun in itself. Yet, for Coxie, Koho, and Neal, the roller disco was the ultimate breeding ground for picking up girls. 

While Coxie had a natural talent for the sort, it was evident that Koho and Neal did not. Every time the team went out, the players keep a running tally of the pair's flirtatious failures. Usually, the night ended in rejection, but not without some good laughs and drinks. After an hour, Neal gave up and joined the rest of the boys at their table. At this point, Coxie was well into the double digits of girls he had danced with. Meanwhile, Koho was showing extra persistence to have just one success. 

From the now filled table, the group juggled their attention between the two boys and their strikingly different approaches. As the group cheered on Coxie, Bah diverted his gaze to the other end of the dance floor. "I don't believe it."

Heads turning, the rest of the group was met with the sight of Koho being led onto the dance floor by a blonde girl. The astonishment on the hockey player's face said it all. 

"Nor do I," OC marveled, shaking his head. The team never expected a win of this magnitude for Koho. It seemed almost too good to be true. Picking up his glass, he snickered, "looks like the blind squirrel finally found a nut, huh boys?" 

The table broke into hysterical laughter as Koho began dancing with the young lady, making faces back at his teammates. He had undergone much coaching from OC and Silky, to which the two Bostonians were very proud to see pay off. 

In an instant, Bah's expression turned sour. "Uh, look's like her boyfriend's back from the bathroom, OC." 

Jack spit out his beer upon seeing a tall, husky guy with a very nasty expression approaching Koho, who was completely oblivious. Quickly, the boys began frantically motioning at Koho to ditch the date and the dance floor. Once the Minnesotan realized the situation, his Olympic hockey abilities, paired with the roller skates on his feet, allowed him to make off unscathed.

In a hurry, the entire group got up and made their way to the exit. Not even stopping to return the skates, Koho strode right into the backseat of Eric's car. Head against the headrest in pure shock, he inquired, "so... that does still count, right?"

Closing the car door, Rizzo sighed. "I think we'll give it to you, Koho." 

As the teammates drove off, heading back to the apartment complex, Koho couldn't help but let the partial success get to his head. 

"The night belongs to us!"