Edmonton, Canada

Western Conference, JW Marriott

Was there any doubt that I wouldn't be in, playing the first game over someone like Matt Nieto? Of course not! I'm Tyson Jost, one of the big veteran personalities on the team! I HAVE to be in and play. Not gonna lie though, Coach tore me a new one about my play and how if I didn't focus and play well, that I would be on the bench.

So here we are, ACTUAL hockey. A round robin game against the St. Louis Blues. Defending champs ain't got nothing on this team!

There's good pace back and forth. Lots of feeling out each other on the ice for the first five minutes of the game. Donskoi blocks a shot from Parayko and leaves the ice momentarily to shake it off.

It's just a stinger. Nothing too bad.

I hit the ice for a shift, making a nice pokecheck in the neutral zone to spring some Avs pressure on the Blues. It leads to Landy having a solid chance to score and Pietrangelo takes a slashing penalty on the captain of the Avs.

We head to the man advantage, burning with energy and drive. The powerplay manages to post up a few shots, nothing spectacular and nothing really coming from it.

So, I find myself back on the ice, as the clock winds down to halfway through the period. I pass the puck across the ice to my linemate and then receive a crushing hit from a Blues player.

I don't realize how close I am to the bench, but I almost end up toppling over the railing and into the laps of the rival team. I can hear a few of them taunting me, but I tune it out and work to get back in the play.

I head to my own bench for a line change.

There is a nice shift from Comphy and Vladdy's line that follows. Cale dives over the boards and into the bench to avoid a 'too many men' penalty, while Vladdy lines up a Blue for a solid crunching hit by the blue line. Comphy shoots on the net, but it is stifled by the goalie. The whistle blows and the clock is down to under ten minutes left.

There's been no penalties so far and it's been a rather tame physical game, which is really good.

Well...that is until Landy takes a stupid interference call, leading the Blues to a powerplay and us to the PK.

Our PK can't hold them off, as they strike to make the score 0-1 Blues.

We're not doing horrible. It was just a brain fart for Landy I'm sure. He's not normally one to play stupidly, otherwise he wouldn't have that giant 'C' shimmering on his jersey over the left breast. I know my game is WAY better than it was in the exhibition, I've made some solid plays and I'm focusing and trying to get ice time. Not earn bench time.

We just gotta solve Bennington!

The second period begins with a Naz shot on goal. And Landy decides to once again commit a penalty, boarding Sandford. We head to the PK and I end up getting a shift. I lose my stick off the faceoff draw somehow. I'm not even sure how. But we are all able to hold tight and I head to the bench to get a new stick and for a change.

The penalty is killed off this time!

But not long after, Z takes a slashing penalty. It's not an Avs game until the big Russian defender takes some kind of penalty. Sometimes the penalty is good and worth it and most times it's stupid. Love ya, Z, but c'mon man!

So back to the PK, where Comphy gets a short-handed chance with his partner in Belly. Comphy elects to pass at the last second and the Blues sniff it out. Sadly. But there is goalie interference and a missed, sly spear on Comphy.

I'm up on my feet, yelling at the ref. "How the fuck don't you see that spear but you see Z's slash?!"

Naz and Vladdy grab me and pull me back down. "Settle down, Josty, you'll get in trouble mouthing off like that," they remind me.

I sit back down and at least think that it's something that they caught the goalie interference on Grubi.

To the powerplay!

As I'm watching my team on the man advantage, one thought creeps into my head, Mikko doesn't look like himself. He looks lost and slow. Is that even our 'Moose' out there? Missing Moose -- Mikko's missing!

The powerplay ends with nothing to show from it. Just a missed opportunity to get on the board and tie the game up. But I get the feeling like the goal is coming for us. I can feel it as I hop over the boards for a shift.

Naz draws a call now, as he is dragged down and tripped up by Gunnarson. But once again nothing comes from the man advantage for us and so we play on.

There is another broken stick or loose stick on the play for us, which leads to a crushing hit by Nathan MacKinnon. Well, actually the Blues player went after him, intending to light up the big forward and learned the hard way about attempting to do that.

As the clock winds down with the score still 0-1 Blues, Landy drops the gloves with Schenn for a tussle by the benches.

"Get him Landy!" I hear Naz shout out.

"Fuck him up, Schenn! Stupid Av can't lead the right way today except in stupid penalties and fights!" a Blues player sneers.

I watch as they exchange blows, Landy with a few jabs at Schenn, but he holds his ground and then Landy wrestles him into the boards and down to the ice before they are separated by the refs.

I bang my stick against the boards and shout out, "Yeah, Landy, yeah!"

He is ushered to the box and we resume play. I'm not sure if it gave us more life exactly, usually a fight will energize everyone.

But I don't feel like there's anything new with the pace of the game. Seconds tick away. Mikko still looks lost, I'm still focused on trying my best and not letting my mind blank. I gotta give my all as there is no more time to play around. The games mean stuff now!

As the period draws to a close, Gunnarson takes another penalty, a slash on an Av to send us back to the powerplay.

Another wasted man advantage though.

And so, we head to the locker room for the second intermission break, fresh off of the powerplay (but with nothing getting by Bennington).

The third period has more back and forth action. There is a missed call where Burkie gets high-sticked by Barbashev. Though it's unintentional, it's still a high-stick and it hurt Burkie. But we play on.

The high-stick on Burkie seems to piss off Gravy, who winds up for a shot. There's a scramble by the boards, a sweet pokecheck and drive into the zone, a drop pass, a solid screen before the net and then...

Gravy ties the game for us!

1-1!

We're all on our feet as the boys smash together with Gravy to celebrate the goal. I can see him smiling and enjoying the moment. As he should. Then they skate to the bench to fist bump us.

Finally. We solved Bennington! No shootout for you!

It's a game now as the clock ticks closer to fifteen minutes into the final period. I hop over the boards, onto the ice with Vladdy and Comphy at my side. We kickstart a series of good shifts and pressure against the Blues.

Bennington has to stand on his head. He is able to miraculously keep the game tied, as we pour on shots and penetrate the zone.

Then Belly takes a tripping penalty and we head to the PK.

I'm not too worried though, we have all the pressure on our side. We can easily stifle the Blues man advantage. We got this!

And sure enough, we kill it off and it leads to an amazing one-man effort show featuring Nathan Raymond MacKinnon. He drives though the zone, dodging Blues left and right, sends a wicked shot on net, but it rebounds off. He collects it against and winds up for another shot. This time, Pietrangelo blocks it.

I see him go down.

Nathan's slapshots aren't exactly soft.

I see the Blues defender hobbling back up and over to the bench, cussing his luck and grunting with pain.

The play carries on until another penalty happens. Burkie draws a hooking call so we head to the powerplay.

The clock is winding down overhead. I'm beginning to get nervous and prepared for a potential overtime. The powerplay is stifled, roughly two minutes left in the game. We push the Blues into the zone.

A minute and ticking...

I jump up to my feet and then immediately sit back down.

Five...

Nathan, Landy, Naz, Cale and Mikko are on the ice. They have the play pressed into the Blues zone. Unrelenting pressure and swarming around the net. I lean forward, unable to blink or look away.

Four...

Landy shoots.

Three...

The puck hits Bennington.

And rebounds.

Two...

Right to Kadri.

One second...

Kadri slaps it into the net.

Zero.

The buzzer, the puck in the net, Kadri's arms are up in celebration. DID HE JUST DO THAT? DID HE GET THAT IN BEFORE 0? Nathan slams into him and they all pile in the corner, shouting and cheering.

The Blues are stunned. Bennington is going off on the ref, who shoos him away and heads to grab an iPad to watch the replay.

Meanwhile the rest of us are tackling Naz with pats, noogies and slaps as he comes back to the bench. The ref reviews the play as we all hold our breath and look up to see the play.

It's in. It's IN THE NET right at 0.1 seconds.

I can't believe it. He did it! He frickin' beat the buzzer at literally the last possible second!

It's a tense, heart-stopping few minutes that feel more like hours as the refs continue to pour over the goal.

I glance over to see the Blues shaking their heads. Bennington is kicking the boards and cussing to himself. They're all stunned and furious.

Finally, the refs pulls back and makes the final decision.

It's a good goal!

I let loose a yowl at the top of my lungs as we ambush Naz again. He won us the game, Grubi stood tall, I played a really good game and Nathan Raymond MacKinnon dazzled the Blues but couldn't score. (I doubt he is kept off the board for much longer though...)