Chapter 1

It was Friday April 18, 2008 and the Pittsburgh Penguins were two days removed from sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs. At Mellon Arena, the Penguins had an optional skate practice to make sure they didn't stiffen up waiting on their next opponents. At 2pm, the practice was over and most of the players had left except for the fab five....Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Ryan Whitney and Marc-Andre Fleury. They were still playing around on the ice trying out new plays and just goofing around. Little did they know that they were going to get some new opponents to try their new plays on.

Outside of the arena, five women were walking up on the security guard at the player's entrance. One of them went up to the guard and asked if they could use the ice to practice on for a couple hours. The guard was skeptical at first, but when she asked if Mario Lemieux was still in the building and to call upon him for approval, the guard humored them before telling them to leave. After a few minutes of talking to Mario, the guard smiled and let the women inside.

Once inside, the five women walked towards the ice and saw some of the players joking around. They looked at each other and decided to have more fun then they bargained for. They sat down and put on their skates and each grabbed a stick. The door in the boards for the zamboni opened and the women skated onto the ice, talking and laughing to one another. This distracted the guys and the play they were working on went very wrong with Sidney and Jordan crashing into each other and falling to the ice.

"You know, if you opened your stance a little bit when you went around the defense that wouldn't have happened?" one of the women yelled.

"Well if we weren't distracted by unauthorized visitors entering our ice surface that would have never happened," Sidney yelled back while he was getting up.

Skating towards center ice so she wouldn't have to keep yelling, "we got permission from the bossman to use the ice, so we plan to take him up on it" she said.

"Bossman?" Ryan chimed in.

"Your boss, the one that owns the team and pretty much signs your paychecks. That boss." one of the other women said.

"Who are you?" Sidney asked.

"Look" not wanting to give up any information, "why can't we just share the ice with you guys? Mario said you guys were done with practice and we could play around for a bit. He must not have known you five were still around."

"We'll stay on this end, ok?" one women asked as they skated away.

Sidney looked at the guys and they all shrugged and skated towards the net. He yelled at the one, "just keep your pucks on that end."

The one looked back and shot him an evil grin, "don't worry, I can keep control of my pucks." She smiled and skated towards her friends.

After a half hour, the guys had given up their playing around and was standing around watching the women skate, make flawless passes, and score some incredible goals. To say the guys, especially Sidney, were impressed was an understatement. They got together and decided to see what these women were really made of.

"Hey" Sidney said getting the attention of the group. "You guys are pretty good. Want to try your moves on us?"

"Sure you guys aren't too tired? Wouldn't want to make you guys underestimate your hockey abilities now" she said.

"Don't worry about underestimating our skills ma'am when you haven't seen the best yet" Jordan said with a sly smile.

Looking to her friends, "did he just ma'am me?"

"Yeah I believe he did" another one said. "I think we could show them a few things"

"Just try it" Evgeni challenged.

"Since we aren't ones to turn down a challenge, let's go."

"First to five goals win?" Ryan asked.

"Why stretch it out. You guys get one chance to score, then we get one chance. Let's see who has the best moves to out score the other team." she said. "We'll even let you guys go first."

The women huddle with their goalie and from watching the Pens play all year, they knew their moves like their own morning routines. They picked who they were going to shadow and waited for the guys to get in position.

"Who gets who?" Evgeni asked.

"I want the brunette that seems to be the leader of the group" Sidney said before the others could choose her.

"Aww, does Sid feel intimitated by her?" Ryan joked.

"Not intimidated, just curious if she can play as well as she talks" Sidney said.

"Do you boys need some help figuring this out or what?" she yelled to them.

That was all that need to be said. The guys skated to center ice and got matched up with one of the women. Sidney called out the one for the face off and they waited for Marc-Andre to drop the puck. He would have time to drop it and then head back to his goal incase the women came back on him.

Mario had been watching this take place and had gotten down to the ice surface to see the mini challenge play out. He sat quietly in the darkened arena seats as Marc-Andre dropped the puck.

Sidney had blocked her stick and took control of the puck by kicking it to Jordan. She finally got away from Sidney, but held back as he rushed up to join his teammates. The guys showed some terrific puck handling and kept it away from the women. As Ryan took to the point, he saw the one woman skating around and just watching the other three put pressure on Jordan, Evgeni and Sidney. Ryan got the puck and saw the one skate towards him. He saw Jordan open on the wing, passed it to him, only to quick deflect it to Sidney who one timed it as the female goalie was leaning towards Jordan. What Sidney didn't realize was that she got her stick over enough to stop the shot and send the puck towards center ice. What the guys also didn't realize is as she was deflecting his shot, all the women were breaking away with the puck towards Marc-Andre. Ryan had caught up on the play and was able to divert them until the others joined him. The women slowed down the play a bit and set up for a classic move, or so Sidney thought. He had read the play perfectly but he didn't realize they changed it up until he heard the clinking sound of a puck hitting the inside of the post and bouncing behind Marc-Andre for the only goal.

The women came together and celebrated as the guys stood around in disbelief. Mario had left his seat and went towards the locker room after the goal was scored. He found a pair of his skates and put them on, smiling as he was headed to the ice.

"I guess congratulations are in order. Savor the victory because you guys will never do that again" Jordan said.

"I read that play perfecly, how in the hell did you get it past me?" Sidney inquired.

"She did a quick fake left and then shot it to the right of Marc." Mario was now skating onto the ice towards everybody. "Its the move she's famous for."

"Famous? What do you mean famous?" Evgeni stammered out.

"Now why do you feel the need to ruin our fun Mario? Why can't you just let us have the bragging rights to beating your fab five there and call it a day?" she said.

"You aren't done yet little girl. I will give you credit to outsmarting my guys, but you have yet to beat me." he said smiling the trademark Lemieux smile.

"You sure you're up to it old man?" she smirked.

"Most definitely." Mario had gotten another puck and skated to center ice. He put it down and motioned for her to join him. As she skated towards him, she saw the look in his eyes and she winked at him before taking the puck and heading towards the net. Mario had briefly stolen the puck away only to have it taken back, getting Marc to lean one way, and slamming the puck into the net. She stopped by the boards and skated back over to the net seeing the puck lying on the ice.

Looking up to see Mario breathing somewhat heavily, she skated over to him. "Wow, not only did I beat Sidney Crosby, but the infamous Mario Lemieux too. I must be having a really good day" she said trying to contain her smile.

"You haven't missed a beat I will give you that" he said.

"and a compliment to boot, I hope this is on video somewhere. I need it for proof."

"You got lucky so don't get all cocky on me now."

"Me? Cocky? Never in a million years" she said.

They skated over towards the others who were making small talk by the bench.

"So do we get to know who these hustlers are?" Marc-Andre asked.

Mario laughed, "they aren't hustlers" looking to the one "well I'm still not sure with this one."

"Hey! Be nice to me. I did take it easy on them you know" she said.

"Guys, I would like you to meet a very dear friend of mine Karen Smith. She actually played with Team USA in Women's Hockey and won the gold medal in 1998. Karen, I would like to officially introduce you to Marc-Andre Fleury, Jordan Staal, Ryan Whitney, Evgeni Malkin, and of course Sidney Crosby."

They all said hi with their disbelieved look that they were actually taken to school by a former female hockey player.

"Its nice to officially meet you guys. I am a huge fan of the team's and it was fun to play against you guys. These are my friends Liz Salem, Stacie Knight, Samantha Andrews, and Kasey Brooks."

They all decided to forget about the challenge and play around a little more. Mario had taken a seat on the boards in front of the bench and Karen skated over to join him and watch the others joke around.