Edmonton, Canada

Western Conference, Sutton Place

I race down to the lobby. For once, I don't care about Tkachuk attacking me or anything. I just got the news...tears are welling up in my eyes as I bolt out of the elevator and into the vast space, where I can see a bunch of people gathering.

We've taken a 3-2 game lead on the St. Louis Blues. We're really feeling it, but then I had to hear about the Blackhawks...

My friends. They lost their series to the Vegas Golden Knights.

I spot Kirby, Brinksy, Kuby, Stromer, Boqy [Adam Boqvist], Olli and a newer face. I don't recognize him, but he looks scared and he is attached to Olli's arm. I don't see Nylander either though...

"Hey, Petey!" they all greet me.

"Hey, I heard the horrible news! Y'all lost and are leaving me alone with Tkachuk!" I blurt out.

"We tried, but Vegas man..." Stromer growls.

"Just wanna go home," the kid attached to Olli's arm whines.

"Who's he?" I ask, nodding my head at him.

"David Kampf -- or Kampfer. He's 25 just like Kuby, but boy oh boy does he act like a little child," Brinksy reports, stroking his bearded chin.

"Go home! Go home!" Kuby chants, clapping his hands together, eagerly. "HOME!"

"Elias Fredrik Pettersson," Millsy scolds from behind me.

I spin around to see him, Q and Brock coming down to join us.

"You know Tkachuk's STILL here right..." Brock whispers, leaning close to me and looking around him as though just uttering his name might bring him out of nowhere. "You know you can't just--"

"You losers must all really love me to continue uttering my name," Tkachuk's voice sneers.

He splits Q and Millsy and walks up to the Hawks.

"Well, isn't this precious," he remarks, clasping his hands together at his fingertips as he gestures downward from his chest. His eyes land on the young man clinging to Olli's arm and a sly smirk filtrates his face.

"What are you thinking about Tkachuk?" Olli snarl-demands.

Tkachuk snaps his head up to glare at Olli. "I keep forgetting how many little children fill up the Chicago Blackhawks squad. That's why you didn't last long, just like the Canucks. Soon Peteykins and his fellow team of losers will join you."

Millsy stiffens behind him. "Watch it, Tkachuk. There's only ONE of you."

"Is there though? You really think I'd walk into the middle of all of you alone?" He snickers and turns to me. His smirk darkens and sends chills racing through me. "I live in the heads of everyone here, Miller. You can't do shit to me."

Millsy shoves him.

Tkachuk laughs and shoves Millsy back twice as hard. It's enough to send him crashing into a stone pillar behind him. "See? You have NOTHING on me! Besides, I wasn't here to kidnap the little Canuckling or terrorize anyone. I really wanted to wish the Hawks off. They're so generous to leave your pathetic team to me."

"You're NOT welcome!" Brinksy snarls.

"You should be worrying about healing up and giving your team of losers their own pep talk, Tkachuk," Stromer growls.

Tkachuk spins back to them, his eyes glittering with vengeance and his hair just as messed up in curls as always. "When you're up against a team named the Dallas Stars, you don't have to worry about losing. Soon we'll win that series and then if we're lucky, Vancouver will win there's. It'll be us two in this hotel ALONE."

My blood runs ice cold and I freeze in place.

Tkachuk then puts his arm around me. "I'll make your life a living hell, Canuckling."

Millsy charges at him, seeing the gesture and slams into him. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!"

They crash to the ground at the feet of the Hawks squad. Kampfer buries his head into Olli, yelping with fright and Kuby steps back behind Stromer and Brinksy. Boqy looks at him, cocking an eyebrow.

Millsy and Tkachuk roll around on the ground, exchanging blows.

"HEY! HEY!" Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane shout out. "Highmore, help us over here!"

Toews, Kane and Highmore rush forward. Toews grabs Millsy, while Kane and Highmore grab onto Tkachuk.

"Let go of me! I am Matthew Tkachuk!" Tkachuk snaps, yanking at the grips on him.

"Yeah, we know who you are, but you need to stop fighting with people off the ice!" Highmore snarls.

Tkachuk spits at him. "He started it!"

"I believe that zero percent," Kane remarks. "We all know YOU start EVERYTHING."

"Hey, how's being eliminated going, Kane?" Tkachuk suddenly sneers.

"Things happen," Kane responds. "You're not getting to me."

Tkachuk frowns and tosses his eyes. "Forget it, enjoy golfing and thanks for leaving the Canucks alone for me!" He tears himself free and dashes off, cackling wickedly. "CANUCKS ARE MINE! CANUCKS ARE ALL MINE!!"

I slap my palm to my forehead and heave a sigh.

Kane and Highmore share a look, shrug and walk off. Toews, eventually lets Millsy go and walks off as well.

"Anyway, I want to once again thank you all for welcoming us and being my close friends away from the ice as well as helping to keep me away from Tkachuk as much as possible. I'm sad to see you go, but at least I have Q, Brock and Millsy still and maybe the Stars will finish the Flames off," I remark.

Kirby steps forward to me. "It was awesome meeting you too, Petey. Best of luck." He smiles and gives me a warm hug.

Then Stromer does the same thing and Kuby too. Brinksy hugs me next.

And before I know it, the Hawks are waving at us as they depart from the hotel and head for a bus that will take them to the airport.

I'll miss them, but I know that we have a mission to finish!

Goodbye Kirby Dach.

Goodbye Alex DeBrincat.

Goodbye Dylan Strome.

Goodbye Olli Maatta, Dominik Kubalik, David Kampf, Alex Nylander and Adam Boqvist.

Goodbye Chicago Blackhawks.