Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the town
Not a creature was stirring, not even a puck;
The Jets jerseys were hung in their stalls with care,
With hopes that Lord Stanley would soon be there
The players were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of Squirtle danced in their heads.
And Chevy in his kercheif and Bones in his cap,
Had just settled their brains for a long hockey break
When out on the rink there arouse such a clatter
Bones jumped from his bed to see what was the matter
Away to the window he flew with a dash
Tore open the windows and threw up the sash
The moon on the breast on the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to the hockey rink below
When what to Bones’ wondering eyes did appear
Than miniature nets and eight tiny players
With a little old skater to nimble and quick
I knew right at once it must be St. Nik
More rapid that eagles his teammates they came
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name
“Now Schiefele! now Adam! now Mason! now Morgan!
On Connor! on David! on Nino! on Rasmus!
To the end of the rink! to the side of the net!
Now dash away dash away dash away all
As the leaves on the waning days of all do fly
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the top of the boards the puck flew
With the net full of goals and St. Nikolaj too
And then, in a twinkling, Bones heard on the ice
The prancing and pawing of a goalie in gear
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down path came Connor Hellebuyck abound
He was dressed all in pads, from his head to his foot,
And his uniform tarnished with pine needles and tinsel;
A bucket of toys he had tight in his hand,
And he looked like a child just dumping out lego.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as dark as the sky
The stump of a stick he held tight in his hands,
And the condensation, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and broad padded shoulders
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was thin and strong, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And stopped all the pucks; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, allowed St. Nik a goal;
He sprang to his car, to the team gave a whistle,
And away up the flew they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere faded into the night—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
