𝓕𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮
ᴶᵘˡⁱᵉᵗ'ˢ ᶠᵉᵉˡⁱⁿᵍˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵉᵐⁱ ᶠⁱⁿᵃˡˢ

❆₊˚｡౨ৎ₊˚｡❆

The tension was palpable as the Ducks faced off against the Hornets, their place in the semifinals on the line.

The puck hit the ice, and chaos erupted immediately.

The Hornets, known for their physicality, came out aggressive, slamming Ducks players into the boards and using their size to dominate.

But the Ducks had come too far to be intimidated now.

Adam Banks skated into the offensive zone, his movements smooth and calculated. With precision, he feinted left, darted right, and weaved past two defenders.

The crowd held its collective breath as he reached the slot, his stick poised for the perfect shot.

"Banks moving right in front, stops. He shoots, he scores!" the announcer bellowed.

The Ducks' bench erupted in celebration, pounding their sticks against the boards.

Banks was swarmed by his teammates on the ice, their cheers drowning out the frustrated groans of the Hornets.

The game grew more intense, the Hornets retaliating with brutal hits and quick passes. Goldberg stood strong in net, his pads absorbing shot after shot.

Each save bolstered the Ducks' confidence, pushing them to skate harder and faster.

The puck shot down the ice, carried by Charlie Conway's lightning speed. He zipped past defenders, eyes scanning for an opening.

Spotting Averman trailing behind him, Charlie sent a perfectly timed pass. Averman spun around a defender, his stick a blur as he wound up for a slap shot.

"Here's Adam Banks in the slot. He stops, shoots. He scores! Back it goes to Averman. He shoots! Score!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as the scoreboard flashed again.

The Ducks were relentless, their synergy on full display. Even when the Hornets attempted to overpower them, the Ducks' spirit couldn't be broken.

Fulton Reed delivered bone-crushing checks, while Jesse Hall fearlessly blocked shots, their teamwork impenetrable.

With only seconds left on the clock, the Hornets pulled their goalie, desperate for an equalizer.

The ice seemed to shrink as they swarmed the Ducks' defensive zone, the puck ricocheting off sticks and skates.

Goldberg made a stunning diving save, deflecting the puck just enough to send it toward Banks.

Adam Banks seized the opportunity, his skates carving into the ice as he sped down the rink. The crowd roared, rising to their feet as Banks approached the empty net.

He faked a shot, sending the last defender scrambling, then calmly flicked the puck into the back of the net as the buzzer blared.

The Ducks erupted in celebration, jumping over the boards and storming the ice.

The Hornets, dejected, skated away as the crowd chanted the Ducks' name.

"The Ducks win it! And now it's on to the semifinals, where the Ducks will face the Cardinals. What a game so far, ladies and gentlemen!"

Juliet skated toward Charlie , pulling him into a jubilant hug. Around them, their teammates shouted and cheered, basking in the glory of their victory.

Bombay stood on the bench, arms crossed, a proud smile on his face.

The tension in the air was palpable as the Ducks stepped onto the ice for the semifinals against the formidable Cardinals.

The crowd roared, filling the arena with an electric energy that seemed to pulse through the players. The Ducks huddled together, their faces a mix of determination and nervous excitement, before taking their positions for the opening faceoff.

The puck dropped, and the Cardinals quickly gained possession, weaving their way into the Ducks' zone.

Their slick passes and aggressive play immediately put pressure on Goldberg, who was guarding the net. Fulton Reed, ever the enforcer, skated in and delivered a clean but powerful check, sending the puck loose.

The crowd roared as Connie scooped it up and passed it off to Averman, who began a quick breakaway.

From the stands, Juliet was already on her feet, shouting, "Come on, Ducks!"

The Announcer boomed through the arena: "Cardinals with it in their own zone, tryin' to clear it out. Pass to the blue line, intercepted by the Ducks!"

The puck found its way to Adam Banks, whose incredible speed and precision were a sight to behold. He darted down the ice, effortlessly weaving around two defenders.

"Here's their star, Adam Banks!" the announcer called. "Banks has great speed. Right down the middle! Goes around one man with a great move! Steps around another defender! He scores!"

The puck soared past the Cardinals' goaltender, slamming into the net. The Ducks' bench exploded into cheers, banging their sticks on the boards as Banks celebrated with his teammates. In the stands, Juliet and the rest of the Ducks' fans jumped to their feet.

"Let's go, Ducks!" Juliet yelled, clapping her hands and grinning as Connie nudged her.

The Cardinals came back strong, their forwards crashing the net with relentless determination.

Goldberg stood tall, blocking shot after shot with a surprising display of agility. On a counterattack, Connie passed the puck to Averman, who weaved his way into the offensive zone.

The Announcer's voice echoed: "Ducks with it again. Here's Averman, now getting it over to Banks. Germaine is right in the slot!"

Guy Germaine was perfectly positioned in front of the net. As Banks fed him the puck, Guy took a moment, lined up his shot, and fired.

"Germaine with it! He shoots, he scores!"

The puck ricocheted off the goalie's glove and into the net.

The Ducks' bench erupted again, and the crowd went wild. In the stands, Juliet turned to Connie with a smirk.

"Look at your husband," Juliet teased, nudging her friend.

Connie rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "He did good, didn't he?"

"Yuck," Juliet joked.

Connie shot her a sly look. "Don't think I didn't notice you hugging Charlie every time we won. You didn't even hug me."

"That's different," Juliet protested, her cheeks tinged red.

"Sure it is," Connie said with a knowing grin.

The Cardinals made one last push, desperate to close the gap, but the Ducks' defense held strong.

The final seconds ticked away as the Ducks cleared the puck from their zone and skated it down the ice.

The Announcer's voice boomed: "And that does it! The Ducks have won! Can you believe it? The Ducks are going to face the Hawks in the state finals!"

The Ducks piled onto the ice, screaming and cheering as they embraced each other in celebration. The crowd joined in, chanting, "We will, we will, quack you!"

Juliet threw her arms around Charlie in celebration, their laughter blending into the chaos of cheers around them. Bombay watched from the bench, a small, proud smile on his face as he observed the team that had come so far.

This was their moment, and the Ducks were ready to fly.

The Ducks stormed into the locker room, their cheers echoing off the walls.

Coca-Cola sprayed into the air as the team celebrated their triumphant victory.

Bombay stood in the middle of the chaos, a proud smile on his face as his players reveled in the moment.

"Yeah, Ducks!" Averman shouted, shaking a soda can until it burst, spraying Jesse and Goldberg, who yelled in protest but laughed anyway.

Lewis, always looking to make a statement, grabbed the team's bucket of ice, hoisted it high, and dumped it over Bombay's head.

"Whoooo!" Lewis shouted, his grin wide.

Juliet cheered, laughing as Bombay sputtered from the cold, but his smile never wavered. "Yeah, Lewis! That's what I'm talking about!" she called.

In the midst of the celebration, Juliet found herself standing next to Charlie, who was laughing along with the rest of the team. He glanced down at her, his cheeks flushed from the game and the excitement, and his smile softened.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" he said, his voice low so only she could hear.

Juliet nodded, her own smile lingering. "Yeah. We did it."

Charlie hesitated for a moment before reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture was so gentle, so unexpected, that Juliet froze.

"You were incredible out there," he said, his voice steady but his eyes searching hers. "Not just tonight, but every game. You keep us going, Jules. You believe in all of us—even when we don't believe in ourselves."

Juliet blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his words. The noise of the locker room seemed to fade as she stared up at him.

"Charlie..." she started, but her voice faltered.

Before she could say more, Charlie grinned, the same boyish charm she'd always admired lighting up his face. "We couldn't have done it without you," he added, lightly tapping her chin with his knuckles before stepping back into the chaos of the celebration.

Juliet watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest. For the first time, she felt something shift, a warmth spreading through her that she couldn't ignore.

The realization hit her like a slap shot to the heart:

she liked Charlie Conway—more than she'd ever realized before.