Envy on the Ice

By Todd Kortemeier

Easton is an 11-year-old hockey sensation, but he’s struggled with the sudden success of fellow winger and best friend Shawn. Now, it’s the last shift in triple-overtime at the state championship, and the team has one play to avoid a shootout. The coach’s play has Easton taking the shot, but sometimes you have to think on your skates after the puck hits the ice. Will Easton go for his own glory, or will he swallow his pride and do what’s best for his team, and his friend?

In the Clutch hooks readers with a do-or-die moment from youth sports, then rewinds to show how the books’ young athletes found themselves needing to perform under pressure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: North Star Editions
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781631636639

Todd Kortemeier

Todd Kortemeier is a sportswriter and editor who has covered hockey for USAHockey.com and TeamUSA.org, including at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. A lifelong Chicago Blackhawks fan, he and his wife and daughter enjoy cheering the team on from their home in Minnesota.

Book preview

JFP_CLUT_ENVY_COV_mksm.jpg

Chapter 1

Triple Overtime

With heavy legs and burning lungs, Easton Cross knew it was time for a line change. He wasn’t sure how long he and his linemates had been out there. It was probably only forty-five seconds or so. But by this point in the game, and in the season, every second was agonizing.

Easton used his last bit of energy to reach the door to the bench. He looked to his right and saw his friend and teammate Shawn. Shawn gave him a weary smile. They exchanged nods. Both knew what they had to do. It was time to go win the game.

Easton and his teammates from tiny Detroit Lakes were playing Edina in the Minnesota 12U state championship game. Three periods hadn’t been enough to decide a champion. Two overtimes hadn’t been enough. And now the clock was ticking on triple overtime. If nobody scored in this period, the teams would go to a penalty shootout. Easton didn’t want to take that chance. He had worked too hard this season to not do everything he could to win now.

Before Easton and his teammates could hop back on the ice, Coach Palmer called timeout. The clock had ticked down to fewer than thirty seconds to go. Palmer wanted to make sure they had a play ready to try and get the winning goal.

Listen up, Palmer called. With a marker and a handheld