DEFY THE ODDS ➤ nhl

0.2 "buffalo im comin' for ya!"

❝You're going to be playing on one of the 

worst teams in the league, and I want you to 

change that team for the greater good.❞

        "Yes dad, I understand." Emilia stated while finishing up packing her suitcase, "but how do I know I will even make it past the preseason?"

        "Just don't underestimate yourself, that's all it takes. You show the whole team that being girl doesn't change the fact that you're good at hockey." Her father said while sitting on her bed, "this is what your mother always wanted. Make her proud."

        "That's exactly my plan dad, but what if they don't accept me? What if they make it their mission for me to fail?" She nervously pondered while collecting the rest of her things to take to Buffalo.

         "And there's where you're wrong." Her dad said while getting up to help her put her things in the car.

—
        The moment they arrived at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Emilia was already nervous even though she hadn't even left her home state yet.

        "You're first practice with all of them is in a week from today. You'll have about six days to yourself. Remember that." Her dad stated while grabbing some of her things out of the trunk.

         "And don't forget that THE Jack Eichel is picking up from the airport!" Her brother shouted from the backseat of the car.

         "Wait he is?" Emilia said as she turned to her father with wide eyes.

        "He offered to take you from the airport to the hotel where the whole team will be staying for the preseason, so I told him you gladly accepted the offer." Her dad said while handing her a suitcase and her carry on bag.

        "So he'll be waiting at the gate when I get to Buffalo, right?" She asked while collecting her whole demeanor.

         "Yes now call me when you get to the hotel. And don't hesitate to ask any of your teammates questions." Her dad said while going in to hug her.

          "Alright well. I'll call you later and uh bye Dylan!" She yelled to her brother as she walked straight into the airport.

          She knew this airport from the back of her head. From so many hockey tournaments out of state and always flying out of here for her yearly trip to Canada, she had no problem finding the gate where she would board the plane to buffalo.

         To say she was nervous was an understatement. She was beyond nervous, but her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when it was time to board the plane.

❝Flight 32F from Pittsburgh International Airport 

to Buffalo Niagara International Airport is now boarding.❞

          "Buffalo, I'm comin' for ya." Emilia muttered to herself while grabbing her carry on bag. This is where it all begins.

—

           The flight was only a duration of two hours but to Emilia it felt like a whole century. In approximately fifteen minutes she would be meeting Jack Eichel. 'THE Jack Eichel' as her brother would say.

            The moment she stepped off of the plane and retrieved her luggage, she didn't see anyone that relatively looked like Jack, so the decided to find a place to sit down near the gate. It didn't take long for someone to come up to her and tap her shoulder. Once she turned around someone finally spoke up.

            "Hi uh Emilia Thompson, correct?" The boy who she presumed was Jack asked.

            "The one and only." She stated while standing up.

            "Well you probably already know this but I'm Jack Eichel, you're lovely teammate and possibly future liney."