Once he’s satisfied I’m separated from his sister, he changes directions to head for his team’s end.
I twist to shoot Maya a wink, then glide across the ice after him.
“What’s wrong, Donnelly? Jealous it’s me your sister cheers for now?” My cocky tone lowers as I slip my glove off to grab the back of his collar. “That it’smyjersey she wears to games?”
He shrugs me off with an irritated grunt. “Don’t even try me right now.”
I watch him with narrowed eyes.
“You ready?” Noah comes to a stop at my side.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
I bump fists with him and head off the ice as warm-ups finish.
When I face Donnelly for puck drop, I’m more determined than ever to clinch this win. The puck hits the ice and I move in a blink, slamming into him while our sticks work to win the face-off.
I edge him out and pass to Theo. The first five minutes after the game starts are standard for two rival teams fighting to be the first with points on the board.
Before my starting shift is due to switch out with the second line, Donnelly comes flying at me from behind, almost taking me down. I catch my balance, banking left to get away from him.
Ignoring him, I follow the puck.
Fifteen seconds later he jabs me with his elbow when I block him from stealing the puck away from Hutch. When I swing around, his lip curls and he squints in dissatisfaction.
I crack my neck side to side, smirking. He’s being creative to get some cheap shots in—ones we both know the referees won’t call out.
If that’s how we’re playing, I won’t take it lying down.
I don’t get the chance to retaliate until I’m put back in for the next shift, high-fiving Elijah when his line trades places with mine. I shoot from the bench, launching over the boards to join game play, angling toward the puck’s location before my skates fully touch the ice.
“Let’s make it happen!” I yell.
“Hell yeah,” Theo whoops when he zooms past me, paired up with Hutchinson.
Adrenaline floods my veins, heart pounding while the three of us get the puck and link up to take it down the ice towards Elmwood’s crease. It looks like a solid play, the hair on my body standing on end with the anticipation of scoring.
It goes great until it doesn’t. Hutch gets tripped by a stick from a guy on defense. He swerves into the path of another player and the collision is brutal. A referee blows his whistle tostop the clock. Hutch gets to his feet, wincing when he puts his weight on his knee.
“Shake it off, Hutch.” I skate to his side, Theo and Noah coming up on the other to help get him to the bench. “You good, man?”
“For sure. Give me five to stretch it out. It just feels like I jarred it.”
I give him a supportive pat on the shoulder. “Good. We’ll take care of things on the ice until you’re back.”
Coach puts Madden in for the power play.
Elmwood’s down one defensive player, but they won’t make it easy on us. Their team drops one of their wingers back to cover when game play resumes.
At first, Elmwood has possession after winning the puck drop. They get deep into our zone, but Noah stops them. Madden picks up the pass from him and skates so fast I swear the ice should be melted in his wake.
He’s fucking fast, maybe quicker than me. It takes serious effort to catch up to him to provide the assist when Elmwood comes for us.
I keep an eye on our opponents and call for a pass, but when I turn around Madden is tangled with Donnelly. Both of them fling their sticks down. Jesus christ.
“Theo,” I shout.
