Thanks so much for all the reviews guys!! I really appreciate all the feedback.

A short note for all you Washington Capitals fans:

I know last night was heartbreaking to watch…but it's going to be okay! We have a very young, talented team that just needs more experience and maturity in the realm of NHL playoffs. Give it a couple years and I'm willing to bet that we will become the Detroit Red Wings of the East Coast!

Don't stop believing!!!

Chapter 2: Ding and Dong

A loud knock echoed throughout the rather lavish penthouse. Mike groaned in complaint and pulled the covers over his head in protest.

"Who the heck is up at nine in the morning on a Saturday?" he moaned as the knocks gradually grew louder and louder.

After a couple minutes the knocks ceased. Mike sighed in relief and lowered the covers.

"Finally," he muttered as he rolled over and closed his eyes.

A creaking noise suddenly invaded Mike's silence. He froze for a moment when he realized what that noise meant…someone was inside his penthouse. He shot up in bed and scrambled to his closet. He grabbed one of his hockey sticks and slowly moved toward the front of the penthouse.

He tried to steady his panicked breathing as he neared the front door. Whirling forward he yelled as he raised the stick above his head. But there was nobody there. He stared at the open front door in surprise when suddenly somebody pushed him from behind. He cried out in shock and fear as he whirled around, stick raised and ready to strike whoever was behind him.

He looked down and saw a man bent over laughing hysterically and pointing up at him. Mike dropped the stick angrily and shoved the man over. He fell down and crumpled onto the floor in a shaking heap of laughter.

"Real cute Alex, real cute," mumbled Mike irritably, "I knew I should've never given you a key to my place."

Alex tried to control his laughter as he wiped his eyes and looked up at his best friend.

"Sorry Mike," he snickered, "Just wanted to come by and see if you were going to practice…considering its mandatory and all."

Mike gave him a surprised look, "What? Practice is mandatory today? But we won last night!"

Alex stood up and brushed himself off as he turned to face Mike.

"Yeah but Coach wants us to stay warmed up and ready to go for tomorrow's game."

Mike ran a hand through his tousled, dark brown hair and sighed.

"Fine, what time does it start?"

"In an hour," said Alex with amusement as he watched his friend's face distort with horror, "So yeah you may want to get moving…and put some clothes on would you?"

Mike glanced down and shrugged.

"What? I got boxers on."

"Still," said Alex with a smirk, "No one wants to see that."

Mike picked up his hockey stick and lunged at Alex. He laughed loudly as he dodged the attack and grabbed the stick out of Mike's hands.

"Now if you're done goofing off we gotta go," said Alex as he twirled Mike's stick.

"Fine," muttered Mike as he went into his bathroom, "Ten minutes."

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Alex and Mike burst into the locker room of the Capitals practice rink, Kettler Ice Center. Capitals captain Chris Clark looked up from tying his skates and smirked at the two frazzled hockey players.

"You two are running a bit behind aren't you?" he asked as he watched them scramble to put on their gear.

"Yeah…Mike wouldn't wake up," said Alex as he nudged his friend.

Mike glared at Alex through narrowed eyes as he grabbed his shoulder pads and started to put them on.

Chris rolled his eyes, "Okay whatever I don't want to know. But you two better hurry up. Coach will have your heads if you're late."

Just then they heard their coach's booming voice coming from the ice rink.

"Let's go boys! Out on the ice, now!"

"Oh we're screwed," said Mike as he reached for some more pads.

Chris just laughed as he left the locker room to join the rest of the team out on the ice.

"This is all your fault," grumbled Mike.

Alex laughed, "I wasn't the one who was still asleep."

"I never got the memo that practice was mandatory," retorted Mike, "And you could've been a little more kind about waking me up."

Alex just laughed as he grabbed his skates and sat down to put them on. Mike rolled his eyes as he sat next to him and began to tie up his skates.

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"Where the hell are Ovechkin and Green?" barked Coach Boudreau as he watched the rest of his team skate around the rink.

Chris Clark exchanged a glance with Nicklas Backstrom and the two players smirked.

"They still in the locker room?" asked Nicklas with a smile.

"They were when I left and I was the last one in there," replied Chris with a smile, "Boudreau is going to have their heads when they get out here."

Donald Brashear skated past them and laughed loudly, "Those two cause more problems than anyone else on this team!"

"Ain't that the truth," agreed Alexander Semin as he joined them, "Can't live with them…"

"…but can't win games without 'em," finished Brooks Laich as he snatched up a puck with his stick and chucked it at the goal.

Just then Alex and Mike scrambled out of the locker room and stumbled onto the ice. The rest of the team shook their heads and laughed at the sight.

"Hey Ding and Dong you two ready to join us now?" asked Coach Boudreau as they smiled sheepishly at the rest of the team.

"Um, yeah sorry Coach," muttered Mike.

"I'd say it won't happen again but knowing Mike it probably will," said Alex as he moved to dodge Mike's fist.

He laughed as he skated quickly away and grabbed a puck. He speed-skated toward the goal and let it rip. The shot echoed throughout the small practice rink and the puck slammed into the back of the net.

"Show-off!" called Mike with a laugh as he went to join the team in their warm up drills.

Despite the rough awakening, the day had a lot of promise. They won their first game last night against the Rangers and now had all day to work on their drills and prepare for tomorrow's game. So far things were looking up for the Washington Capitals young, talented team.

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"They won?" snarled Crosby as he skated past Malkin in the Penguins practice arena in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

"Yeah, I know," muttered Malkin, "I was hoping to see the Rangers take care of them early on so we didn't have to mess with them."

Crosby sneered angrily as he unleashed a powerful slapshot and watched as the puck tore through the net of the goal.

"Don't worry about it," said Malkin, trying to calm his best friend down, "It's just the beginning of the first round. The Rangers can pick it back up and take care of the Caps. Have a little faith Sidney."

Crosby smirked slightly as he punched his friend lightly on the shoulder.

"Yeah you're right. And besides, if they can't take care of the Caps…we can."