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Tuukka was on his way to the pressbox when his phone went off.
"Okay, who's not playing tonight?" Price had sent.
"I'm scratched," Tuukka said, “Again.”
"Me too." Fleury said, "My projected backup is getting the game."
"My team's not playing." Crawford said, "So who and where is everyone watching?"
"Rangers at home," Tuukka said.
"You're playing the Rangers and they have you scratched?" Fleury asked.
"There are four goalies competing for the backup job," Tuukka said, "So I get a break. I doubt it has anything to do with what happened the last time we played the Rangers at home."
"What happened the last time?" Price asked.
"I left the game ten seconds into the second period with a migraine," Tuukka said, "That was my thirtieth win of the season too."
"I think I remember you saying that," Price said, "We're playing the Caps at home."
"We're playing in Detroit," Fleury said.
"Any ideas on how your teams are gonna play?" Crawford asked.
"I'm not holding my breath," Tuukka said, "They've got Lundqvist in net. Our last game wasn't too spectacular but we managed to win 13 seconds into OT."
"Wow," Price said, "That's 3 seconds faster than the Leafs ended an OT game against us."
"My mistake," Tuukka said, "We scored 12 seconds into OT."
"Who ended it for you?" Price asked.
"Pastrnak," Tuukka said.
"That kid can shoot," Price said.
"He's seriously fast too," Fleury said, "He's hard to track."
"Oh yeah," Tuukka said, "He's someone I'm glad I never really have to go up against."
"Lucky you." Price said. "The rest of us aren't quite as fortunate."
"Hey my game's about to start," Tuukka said, "We'll chat during tv time outs and intermission?"
-- First intermission --
"So how did your first periods go?" Crawford asked.
"*Sigh*" Tuukka messaged, "We opened the scoring now we're down two to one."
"Consider yourself lucky," Fleury said, "We're down three to nothing after one. And we were outshot fifteen to five!"
"We're tied at two," Price said, "We gave up the first two then scored the next two. But surprise surprise we're being outshot fifteen to three."
"Who's in goal for Washington?" Tuukka asked, "Two goals on three shots, that's really rough."
"Holtby," Price responded.
"Holtby!?" Tuukka asked, "Are you kidding me!?"
"What's wrong?" Crawford asked.
"Holtby shut us out all fucking season last year," Tuukka said, "And it was somehow my fault. It's like dude, it doesn't matter if I how many goals I give up if my team doesn't fucking score."
"True that," Fleury said, "And I get the feeling this is gonna be a looooong game."
"I'm getting the same feeling," Tuukka said.
--Second intermission--
"Any changes?" Crawford asked.
"We're down four nothing now," Fleury said, "And we're still being outshot sixteen to twenty-two."
"We're tied at three each now," Price said, "And still being outshot, twenty-six to thirteen. It looks like I will once again be facing more rubber than the goalie who plays opposite me."
"Ugh, we're now down three to one," Tuukka said, "And our power play looks like shit again. But on the bright side we're out shooting the Rangers twenty-two to sixteen."
"Do you think you'll come back from that?" Crawford asked.
"I'll be astounded if they do," Tuukka said.
"Little harsh there Tuukks?" Price asked.
"I think I can count the times we came back from a two goal deficit last season on one hand," Tuukka said. "If the Rangers score another goal I'm done. We never came back from a three goal hole last season."
"I don't think we'll be winning this one either," Fleury said.
"That sucks." Crawford said, "But at least it's just the preseason."
--During a TV time out--
"Oh, we're only down by a goal now," Tuukka said, "But we still have 15 minutes to play."
"Not bad," Crawford said.
"We scored a goal so they can't shut us out now," Fleury said.
"We're still tied," Price said, "They have Oshie, and Ovie, this might not end well."
"We may actually have a chance," Tuukka said, "They sat Lundqvist for the third."
--
"Oh dear god we've pulled our goalie," Tuukka said, “I can’t watch.”
"We're down by four now," Fleury said, "*sigh* never mind five..."
"We're going into OT," Price said.
"Holy. Fucking. Shit." Tuukka said, "We actually fucking tied it. Why can't they play like that when I'm in net!? [crying emjoi]"
"Tuukka, you use emojis?" Price asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason. I didn't think you were the type."
"So what do you think about the new overtime format?" Crawford asked.
"As long as it ends before a fucking shootout I don't really care," Tuukka said, "Except now it's 4 on 3 them, we got called for a penalty. Our penalty-kill has been meh."
"So do we," Price said, "And they have Ovie and Oshie out there..."
"Oh god, I'm not looking forward to that." Tuukka said.
"I don't think anyone is," Price said.
"Holy shit we survived it," Tuukka said, "Thanks to a penalty they took."
"Great, we're going to a shootout," Price said.
"Yep, us too," Tuukka said.
"Guess who the first shooter for Washington is?" Price said.
"Oshie?" Tuukka said, "Holy shit we scored!"
"Yup," Price said, "Guess what happened?"
"He scored?" Tuukka said, "Dammit Zuccarello's good..."
"Yup."
"Holy shit we scored again," Tuukka said, "These aren't my teammates. My teammates wouldn't have scored two shootout goals in a row. AND NEW YORK MISSED!"
"Well we missed our first two," Price said.
"Dammit Dan Boyle scored...."
"We didn't score," Price said, "They win....[sad face emoji]"
"ARE. YOU. FUCKING. KIDDING. ME!" Tuukka said.
“What happened?” Crawford asked.
"We actually won a fucking shootout." Tuukka responded, "Granted it was against a rookie goalie but we fucking won a shootout."
“Congrats! [Hapy face emoji]”
"Why can't they do that when I'm in net!?" Tuukka whined, "Who the fuck are these people and where the fuck are my teammates!? We just scored literally a third of the shootout goals we had last season! In one fucking game!"
“Wow really?” Fleury asked.
"We had nine shootout goals last season, we had three tonight," Tuukka said, "Who the fuck are these people. Because I'm not sure they're my teammates. The last time I was scratched for a game that went into a shootout, we lost. To the Sabres!"
“Aren’t you happy you guys won?" Fleury asked, "You sound more pissed off than happy."
“I am happy,” Tuukka responded, “But it’s just frustrating. Hold on I’m getting a text.”
“Why are you talking to Carey Price?” Malcolm Subban had texted him.
“What!?” He claimed as he looked to the goalie to his left.
“That’s Pricy’s Skype name.” Malcolme texted.
“Secret goalie meeting,” Tuukka texted back.
“Oooh okay,” Malcolm said, “I won’t tell anyone. Just tell Price to tell my brother I said hi.”
“Sorry about that,” Tuukka messaged the other goalies, “Malcolm Subban caught on. Price, he said to tell his brother he says hi.”
“Okay,” Price said, “And I have to let you guys go.”
“Same here.” Fleury said.
“We can talk again once the preseason ends.”
“Sounds good.”