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*JURT* · 05-26-2020, 03:48 PM

I had a dream last night, a dream worth sharing. It’s a weird, crazy and specific dream, and yet I know one day it will come true. I know it in my bones and in my soul and it’ll drive me for the years to come.

The dream takes places in S60. After many great years in the SMJHL playing for Colorado and winning the Four-Star Cup a few times, I’ve gotten the call from the Syndicate and started as the 4th center in Chicago. After yet another couple of years, I’ve reached the top of my game: I’m the third center and one of the best shutdown players in the league.

Alongside me is my good friend Asclepius Perseus Flitterwind (@CaptainCrazy ). We met in Colorado when he was drafted and bonded quickly. It was very lucky when he also was drafted by the Syndicate who wanted us to bring that chemistry to the Chicago locker room.

S60 comes around and we’re reprising our roles on the third line, me as a backchecking forward with some playmaking abilities down the middle and Asclepius on my right as a counterattacking forward who’ll finish my plays. On my left is some kind of weird shark-horse hybrid that we’ll call Shorse – that part probably won’t become true, it’s still only a dream.

[Image: 200c554b223cc3e2ff413d7774e4e3de.jpg]

[Image: 200c554b223cc3e2ff413d7774e4e3de.jpg]

Shorse, projected Chicago Syndicate S56 First-round pick

Season unfolds and we’re doing good. Not great, but good enough to get into the playoffs. We keep telling ourselves everything is possible once the playoffs start, and we can make history by winning the first Challenge Cup in the history of the Chicago Syndicate. Things went well on an individual level too and I’m in most talks for the Jeff Dar award after a career year. This is, however, not important compared to getting this city the first title the fans deserve.

And we make it to the finals. Shorse is a beast throughout the playoffs, on and off the ice. We’re facing the Unicorns of Dundee in the finals – whether it’s another product of my imagination or an expansion team yet to join the SHL, I couldn’t say. But these unicorns are being possessed by an evil wizard and they’re not just hungry for the Cup, they’re hungry for blood. Okay, they’re probably part of my imagination, but we must beat them all the same.

We make it to a seventh game. Everyone on the team is tired put pouring their heart out on the ice to bring the trophy home. We haven’t gotten this far to lose to untiring, mind-controlled gracious beasts turned evil. We make it to overtime.

It’s the moment every hockey player has ever dreamed of, but I’m not feeling excited. I’m endlessly scared that I’ll be the one to commit the mistake that will cost us the game, the series and the Cup. That’d be the greatest shame of my life, even worse that the fact that I’m currently not wearing pants.

We go in after the first two lines had a shift each. Shorse, Asclepius and I go in with all we’ve got. Behind us is Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette (@Your Mothers Favorite Goalie ), alone on the blue line; his partner had to give me his pants so I could go take the faceoff, he’ll take those the giraffe equipment manager will go fetch in the kitchen before joining us on the ice. The crowd is made of spaceships with frog heads and they’re all chanting Axel F in harmony. This dream is starting to get weird.

I’m pressing on; destiny awaits me. The moment I’ve been born for. The faceoff is in the offensive zone. I win it for Shorse. Shorse quickly sends it up to Luc-Pierre who winds up for a clapper. I head towards the net to screen the Unicorn’s goalie. The shot is off, and I deflect it… right on the crossbar. It falls in the blue paint and the goalie throws himself to cover it.

Not fast enough! Asclepius sweeps in and puts it in and the Chicago Syndicate have won the first Challenge Cup in their history! The announcer is much less happy than we are, as he starts realizing what has really been my plan all dream long. The winning goal’s scoreline reads as such:

Quote:OT – Summary
02:03 Asclepius Perseus Flitterwind (4, ES), Jean-Uthred Ragnarsson-Tremblay (7), Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette (9)

I've never been happier, I've achieved my ultimate goal. Not only have we won the Cup for Chicago, but we’ve made the longest scoreline ever. My destiny is fulfilled.