SEATTLE — A slapshot in the garage of the Wallace family home was a snapshot of the situation.
The scene was isolation because the actual ice wasn't enough.
Caelyn Wallace, a 10-year-old girl from Seattle, has been honing her craft and sharpening her skills largely by herself.
"I usually start by myself. And then my dad comes in and he'll do some stuff with me, then he'll leave," she said.
Her dad, Colby Wallace, designed a hockey haven in the garage so she could practice.
The results were striking.
"It was surprising," he said. "It was surprising to see, 'Oh, she's kind of good.' And having some coaches say, 'Oh yeah, she gets it.' She's not afraid to play physical, more physical than a lot of girls her age."
But the ramifications were startling.
"She was invited to play at a girl's jamboree last year, and she came and skated around, did whatever she wanted. She had a lot of fun, but we were kind of told that it really wasn't a good fit," Colby said.
Caelyn was told she was too good for one girls' league, and an advanced girls' league is still not a part of Seattle's hockey lineup.
"There's not enough girls in general playing the sport," Colby said.
That problem still exists, but two years ago, the family found a short-term solution.
This hockey league felt like it catered to Caelyn.
"It's definitely the highest level hockey that kids her age can play in this part of the planet," Colby said.
The HPL is the top youth development program in British Columbia.
The teams were based in Vancouver, BC, at the start, and now there's one in Seattle.
But the Wallace family was in for a surprise.
"We didn't really realize there wasn't going to be hardly any other girls," Colby said.
Caelyn is the only girl on her team and one of just four in the league.
It's safe to say she doesn't care.
"After the first couple of practices, I got used to it," she said. "There's this little guy in one of the games. I accidentally hit him into the boards, and I was like, 'Oh, sorry. I do that a lot.' I hit people into the boards and I'm like, 'Whoopsie.'"
Don't mistake the confidence for cockiness.
The Washington Wolverines hold tryouts every year, so her spot isn't guaranteed.
It's a high standard demanded by Tanner Glass, a former NHL player of more than 10 years.
Glass has a son on the team and is Caelyn's coach.
"The knowledge he brings from the NHL is huge," Colby said.
For now, the situation is perfect. But it's far from permanent.
"Girls that are 14, 15 years old that are playing at a really high level, they leave and they go to academies in other parts of the world," Colby said. "If she's here, where does she play at?"
The HPL doesn't have a girl's high school team yet. This might just be a snapshot in time.
"It's unknown. There's not a clear path by any means," Colby said.
Caelyn may have found her calling, but she could soon find herself back where she started.
"This is the sport that she wants to pursue. We just got to make do with what we have," Colby said.