DEFY THE ODDS ➤ nhl

0.12 first game, first goal and many more

❝Now I don't want you to go out there and
expect to be the next sidney crosby, but I
do want you to go out there and
try your hardest.❞

Emilia listened to what everyone had to say. Tonight she was making history. Any women to ever be drafted in the nhl had never made it this far.

As she sat there silently, Jack and Alex could tell there was something wrong.

"Em." Jack stated while looking at her. She turned her head to look up at him, and he noticed the concern etched on her face.

"I know you're nervous, but we are all going to make this is a game to remember, just for you. You're on a line with Sam and I, and I promise you we are going to try our hardest to help you prove to everyone that you're just like the rest of us." He said trying to reassure her.

"You're going to do amazing tonight, Emilia. I know it, Jack knows it, everyone knows it. You have the ability to succeed in you. Everyone had seen it in the preseason. You just have to perform the same way now." Alex said while hoping this would ease her nerves.

"What if one of the players target me and only me? Or what if I'm just not what everyone was expecting tonight or-" She wanted to continue but Jack had shushed her by putting his pointer finger to her lips.

"No one is going to target you because we all know Rasmus will not allow that. Now let's get out there and win this game." Jack said while standing up and grabbing his helmet.

—

❝Now tonight is the night that everyone has
been waiting for. Here we have the first
women to ever make it this far in the nhl,
Emilia Thompson. She is rumored to be on
the starting line besides Jack Eichel and Sam
Reinhart. If you asked me, I expect this line
to dominate the whole entire game.❞

❝I'm going to have to agree with you there.
The Islanders definitely need to watch out for
that line, same with the defense. I won't be
surprised if the Sabres plan to make this
night all about Thompson to prove
everyone wrong.❞

Emilia waited to step out onto the ice. She was pacing from foot to foot. As soon as they were signaled to go out, she was told to stay back and wait for everyone else to make their way onto the ice. She truly was confused until she heard what the was being said throughout the whole arena.

❝Ladies and Gentleman, the moment you've
all been waiting for, fourth overall and the first woman to ever make it this far, Emilia Thompson!❞

Emilia assumed this was her cue to step out onto the ice. As she did so, she was shocked. Throughout her 18 years of living, she never expected Keybank center to be so full of people. Seat after seat contained a fan and she could see everyone's smile from almost a mile away. She turned to make a lap around the ice and soon awaited to hear the national anthem.

—

Emilia raced down the ice trying to force a turnover. The Sabres were down 2-3 with only 2:45 left in the third period. Failing to force a turnover, she decided to do the next thing. As the Islanders went to dump the puck, she pushed herself to the puck right before it passed the blue line. She turned on her right skate and started in the Sabres own zone. She passed the puck to Ristolainen who then passed it to Reinhart and waited for Emilia to set herself up for a one timer. As Eichel received the pass from Reinhart he immediately turned to pass to Emilia. The puck glided in her direction, and as soon as her stick came down for the one timer, the crowd erupted in cheers. She had just scored her first NHL goal. She was so shocked, she didn't even notice the group hug that had formed around her.

"You did it Em! I told you it would happen!" Jack cheered while she just smiled up at him.

"I'd say bar down is pretty fucking awesome for you first goal." Sam stated as they all went back to the bench.

—

Overtime was pretty nerve racking for your first official NHL game, especially for Emilia. She was told that she was not going to play in the first few minutes of overtime, which she completely understood. But that all changed when Housley called her over as the team made their way out on the ice for overtime.

"Change of plans, Thompson. I'm putting you out there and taking out Reinhart." He stated.

"A-are you sure coach?" She asked.

"I believe you'll do as good as you did in the third, so that's why I'm putting you out there. Now go out there and make everyone proud!" He said as she made her way out on the ice.

As soon as the puck dropped, Jack had won and passed it to Emilia. She raced past two Islanders players to notice it was a one on one. She dangled the puck between the defenseman's legs and succeeded to get a breakaway. As she went to deke out the goalie, she attempted a fake shot to only try a backhand and watched as the puck went right through the goalies legs to give her a five hole.

She cheered and jumped into the boards only to be joined by the rest of her team. Tonight was her night and not only did the Sabres win but she too did with her two goals. History had been made.

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