Alex's POV:

I’ve always been the guy who sees the game differently.

As a goalie, you have to. While everyone else chases the puck, you stand still in the crease, reading angles, anticipating shots, feeling the weight of every mistake because there’s no one behind you to clean it up. It’s lonely in the best way—quiet focus, the roar of the crowd muffled through your mask, the ice your own little kingdom.

I grew up in a small town in New Mexico where hockey was rare. ...