Chapter 4

Elizabeth looked at Adam, she already knew the outcome. She was determined to stay friends with Adam. She knew what he felt like. She looked at him and spoke, "you ready for this?"

Adam nodded as Elizabeth took his hand; they walked in. As they walked in all conversation stopped. Soon after that Gordon walked in he spoke to Adam.

"Hey. Wasn't sure if you'd show up."

"Yeah whatever, I just want to play hockey." Adam said.

"Good. Ducks, you all know Adam Banks."

"On the behalf the Ducks, I'd like to say wel-" Charlie said standing.

"Cake-Eaters."

"Ooh the Jess-man, dissin the new guys! The Jess-ster!" Ackerman said.

"Shut up, Averman!" Jesse yelled.

"It's just a joke." Averman said.

"Puttin on a Ducks jersey doesn't mean your a real Duck." Jesse said as the team followed him out.

"They are a good team once you get to know them" Bombay told us.

"I'll bet" Adam said again. "You two suit up see you on the ice."

Adam nodded and dressed as Elizabeth went to her locker and dressed.

"Hey Adam, you have the last laugh, they walked out without skates." Elizabeth told him. He gave a small chuckle as he an Elizabeth walked out of the changing room.

By the middle of the second period, the score was Huskies 1, Ducks 0. Adam battled in front of the Huskies goal and was in perfect position to score.

"Hey over here!" He shouted to his team mates.

"Come on!" He shouted.

"Do something with it."

Jesse passed it to Charlie, Charlie passed it to Connie, Connie passed it to Elizabeth who was on right wing.

"In front!" Adam shouted at Elizabeth.

"Pass it!" Elizabeth flipped a pass to him. Adam took the puck, spun, and poked it into the net. The game was tied 1-1. Connie, Elizabeth and Adam hugged. With only sixteen seconds left in the game and the score still tied, a skirmish on the ice resulted in a face-off in the Huskies zone.

Gordon made a decision.

He called Goldberg and the players of the ice.

"You're gonna sit this one out," he told him.

"What?" Asked Karp.

"You're pulling the goalie when we are tied?" Adam said as the team talked all at once.

"A tie isn't going to help us," said Gordon. "We need to win."

Fulton, your our extra man. Everybody just get the puck to Fulton."

"We're pulling the Statue of Liberty play?" He asked.

Elizabeth gave Adam a confused look. They didn't know what Gordon was talking about. Peter told them what they meant. Both nodded.

"No," said Gordon.

"Take your shot. You might get only one so it's gotta be good."

"But coach," said Fulton nervously.

"One out of one?"

"Soft hands Fulton," Guy reminded his team mate, "Concentration not strength."

"That's right," agreed Gordon.

"Now get out there. Keep it away from the Huskies, no matter what you do. Don't let them have it."

The Ducks managed to control the puck on the face-off, and as planned.

Fulton took a pass and feed up for a final shot.

The crowd was roaring.

"Shoot, Fulton, shoot!"Shouted Gordon from the bench.

The clock was counting down rapidly. Fulton took a deep breath. It couldn't be one out of five now. It had to be one out of one. He wound up and blasted away. The puck screamed between the posts and ripped clean through the back of the net.

The Ducks had won!

Gordon punched a victory fist into the air.

"We made the playoffs!" He shouted.

"We made the playoffs!"

The Ducks were on their way!

Elizabeth and Adam hugged. The team celebrated in the locker room.