When stepping into the arena, you feel a sort of bubbling excitement as you take your seats. Imitating a bee hive, the buzz from everyone speaking at once is at a dim almost crazed silence. The scent of beer and fatty foods fill your nostrils as the game gets closer to starting. As their favorite team members come out to the ice, everyone simultaneously cheers and hollers. Music suddenly starts blaring and shouts of excitement ripple through the crowd as the game finally starts.

   With their six starting players on each team, they begin the match with a very monotone aggression towards one another. With goals made from both teams, the period ended with the score of Capitals one Red Wings two.

   Starting the second period with a bang, was exactly what both teams did. With lots of hits to all the players of each team, they seemed to be more aggressive and in a way attempting to tire not only themselves, but the other team members as well. With no goals made this period, the score remained at Capitals one and Red Wings two.

     In the midst of things, everyone thought the Wings were going to win. Capital fans prayed for a miracle, and it happened. 20 minute long period, and within 12 minutes, the Capitals scored two goals which tied them up with the Wings with eight minutes to spare. With no more goals being scored, the score stayed three to three, and we entered a sudden death match, which is the fourth period.

   With a rush of adrenaline and anticipation flowing through the crowd, the teams prepare themselves with their team of four on each side and only five minutes to score a goal. At the end of those five minutes, no goals were made, which led to another method of over time: a penalty-shot shootout!

   A penalty-shot shootout is when no goals were made in the sudden death round, and is only used as a tiebreaker. The crowd was suddenly on their feet with the excitement of the game. Their roars of encouragement to their teams deafening to the outside world, as the teams started taking shots at each other’s goalies.

   The fifth period ended with the Capitals winning the game by one point from the penalty-shot shootout. The Red Wings tried three times on the Capitals goalies and never making the shot, and with one faithful shot; the Capitals won!