My First Goal

By Jesse Blank

It was January 1999. I was 8 years old. My dad was taking me to my first ice hockey game. I was on the Slashing Pumpkins ice hockey team. I was really exited. I couldn’t wait to get to the arena.

It was really, really cold at the arena. As soon as we got there, I started getting my gear on. I felt a little weird, like I was scared.

The Zamboni was still cleaning the ice. Finally my team and I got to go on the ice. We were just warming up, but the ice was wet, and exciting.

I was on the third line. That means that I had to wait for the first and second line to go on and off before I could play. I couldn’t wait until it was my turn to go on the ice.

Then finally it was my turn to play. I skated as hard as I could, then I got the puck. I carried it across the ice. I went across the blue line. The referee whistled it offside. Then the coach told my line to come back to the bench. I was warm now.

The first line went back out. Then the second line went out for a long time. Finally it was my turn to go out again. I was in our opponent’s zone. Everyone piled on the goalie, but the puck was still loose so I got it. Then, on the backhand, I shot and scored.

I was so happy I could hardly breath. I couldn’t believe it. I scored on my first game.

We won the game 7 to 3. The Blue Dragons lost to my team, the Slashing Pumpkins. That season we kept on winning. My team and I got two trophies--one for just playing, and the other for winning the season. I felt really excited and I was happy that I finally got to learn to play hockey.