One of the Calgary wingers has possession of the puck and is headed for our goal, but Luca catches up to him and checks him. The Calgary player stumbles, and the puck goes flying. Xander runs over and grabs it, then takes off.
“Damn. That was a good hit,” I say.
Sam nods. “Luca’s a beast.”
Sam played on the same line as Luca for a while when they both played for Seattle, before Sam was traded to Denver.
Xander takes a shot at the Calgary net, but the goalie blocks it with his stick.
“Connors, you’re up,” Coach Porter hollers when it’s time for face-off.
I hop over the barrier and get set up for face off.
“Congrats on the nuptials, Connors,” the Calgary defenseman I’m covering says. “What’s it like being married to a golddigger?”
“Fuck off,” I mutter.
This guy’s been making comments about my and Ellie’s marriage the whole game, trying to goad me into a fight. I knew there would be guys on the opposing team giving me shit aboutall the bad press we’ve been getting. I was ready for it. Doesn’t mean I like hearing it though.
I resist the urge to cold-cock him and glance down at the A on my jersey. This is my first game as alternate captain of my team. I can’t act like an immature hothead, no matter how much I want to. I need to act like a leader. I need to be mature and even-tempered, even when shit gets stressful.
I swallow back the frustration and anger whirring inside of me. Coach Porter took a chance on me by making me alternate captain. I need to show him that he made the right choice. I need to keep my emotions in check and show him that I’ve got the strength of character to do well in this position.
When the puck lands on the ice, Theo passes it back to me. I speed ahead with it and refocus. We’re in the final forty seconds of the game. Sam’s open, so I pass the puck to him. He takes a shot, but the puck bounces off the crossbar and goes flying.
It’s a scramble to get possession of it, but before anyone from either team and get control of it, the buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game.
The Calgary goalie shoves Del.
“Get the fuck out of my crease,” he hollers.
Del frowns at him. “The game’s over, dude. I can stand here if I want.”
Sam goes to stand between Del and the goalie, so it doesn’t turn into a fight, but the goalie shoves Del. Del punches him. Another Calgary player jumps in and hits Del. Sam pushes him. A fight breaks out between all of the guys on the ice. The crowd goes nuts.
I’m scuffling with a random Calgary player when I hear the defenseman who taunted me earlier.
“What it’s like to have to bribe your wife with health insurance to marry you?”
I turn around and shove him. He winds up to hit me, but I punch him. Fuck, that feels good to finally let that out after holding it in this whole game.
I know I shouldn’t have hit him, but whatever. My entire team is fighting. This is different from if I had just fought on my own. I’m backing up my teammates, which is always okay in hockey.
Soon the referees and linesmen break up the fight. They yell at us to separate and head off the ice. I skate off with my teammates.
“Nothing like a team brawl to kick off the season,” Theo says through a smug smile, his face red from fighting.
I catch Coach Porter shaking his head at us.
“Was that totally necessary?” He looks at us, his tone stern.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
As we head for the tunnel, the fans above us holler.
“Hey, Connors. Here’s a little gift for you.”
Cold, sticky soda and ice land on my head. I stop walking. “What the fuck…”
