(S.O.B. By Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats fades slowly, applause. Lance Googoo walks out, smiling.)

Lance Googoo: "Welcome back, folks. We've got a real treat for you tonight. He's a brick wall in net, a key part of the Maine Timber's playoff push, and he hails all the way from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Please welcome, George Dankse!"

(George enters through the curtain, waves to the audience, and shakes Lance's hand. He settles into the armchair.)

Lance Googoo: "George, welcome it's great to have you. 16 wins, 9 losses, .895 save percentage. Not too shabby, eh?"

George Dankse: "(shrugs slightly, smiles) Yeah, it's been a decent season. The team's been playing well."

Lance Googoo: "Decent is an understatement, my friend. You're a real contender out there! You're part of the 'Timber Tandem' with Travis Coates. How's that dynamic working out?"

George Dankse: "Travis is a fantastic goalie. We push each other to the best of our abilities. It's good to have someone to share ideas with in the locker room. We're both competitive, but we're also there to support each other. He's probably one of the main reasons for our success. And as a matter of fact, when I first came here there wasn't another goalie in the building for a while, so I'm glad he's around."

Lance Googoo: "Absolutely, just incredible the way you guys do things around Maine. In the draft, you were selected at number 60 in round 4, what was your thought process?"

George Dankse: "Honestly, I was hoping. You never know in the draft, but I had some good conversations with the Timber scouts and gm himself beforehand. I was on edge the entire time, wondering where I'd be put. But I'm happy to be in Maine, great place."

Lance Googoo: "You're from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Going to Maine is quite the switch up from there. What's it like adjusting to the States?"

George Dankse: "Way different than Canada, that's for sure. I didn't expect it to be much different but here is really diverse compared to Canada. I do miss the ocean, but they have some great lakes here in Maine. It's also pretty difficult to find some good poutine and garlic fingers here."

Lance Googoo: "I will say, when I was looking through your profile, I found it quite incredible that you're a native Mi'kmaq speaker. So am I! Do you get to speak the language often in Maine?"

George Dankse: "Not as much as I'd like. I try to keep it alive by talking with my family back home. I do tend to speak a bit of Mi'kmaq in the locker room of the Timber but then my teammates are there wondering what I said."

Lance Googoo: "I can just see the confusion on their face. If I really think about it I could probably see their exact reaction." (Lance chuckles, mockingly covering his eyes.) "I gotta ask, who were your idols growing up? Any specific hockey players you looked up to?"

George Dankse: "Oh man, so many. I always admired Tuukka Rask. I like to say he's the definition of playing goalie in hockey, hard to maintain your composure sometimes. And Martin Brodeur, of course. I also really looked up to Nathan Horton, for the way he carried himself."

Lance Googoo: "You've got a pretty stoic look on the ice. What's going through your head during a game?"

George Dankse: "Focus, Just focus. You have to stay in the moment. Forget the last shot, forget the next one. Just the puck, the shooter and the play in front of you. And trust your instincts. Trust the guys in front of you. Lots of trust goes into the game and how you play it.

Lance Googoo: "What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten?"

George Dankse: "My grandfather always told me, 'Kwis, keep that humbleness when you're playing, you're no better than the guy across the ice, and he's no better than you.' It's stuck with me. A lot of people have a different way of playing, and what keeps them going. But remembering that the game of hockey is a sport and nobody's better than the other is what tells me that I can try hard for myself and not to be better than the others."

Lance Googoo: "Wow, never heard that one before. Great advice. You're team is 31-17-0, what's your team's chances looking like?"

George Dankse: "We're confident. We have a good team, a good system. As long as we never give up, we can win it all."

Lance Googoo: "Well, George, it's been a pleasure. Loved our conversation. Best of luck in the playoffs. Everybody give it up for George Dankse!"

(Applause. George shakes Lance's hand and waves to the audience as he exits. Call Me (Whatever You Like) By Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats begins.)

Lance Googoo: "We'll be right back with more after the break!"

(Cut to commercial.)

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