This is the first time I’ve been in an arena since my injury.
The sounds of the crowd.
The skates on the ice.
The cold air, the smell of hockey—that smell that you can’t describe but any hockey fan would know—goes a long way to soothe the constant ache in my bones.
It settles me in a way that nothing else has been able to lately. It reinvigorates my drive to be able to get back out on the ice. To push all the wayward thoughts of this being the end for me out of my head.
The normal pregame routine starts, amping up the crowd. It’s something I’ve never gotten to experience like this. I’ve always been down with the team. The home crowd is rocking, and when the Knights are announced, the boos are so loud, it could trigger the Richter scale.
My eyes trail over every guy on the ice—purposefully avoiding Graham—and they look good. Ready. Even though I can’t be down there on the ice, I know they’re ready.
We’ve been talking about this game all season. About wanting to beat the Black Diamonds again, this time on their turf and when it matters more than the preseason game played at a neutral site. It was a good win. But this one? It would be huge for us.
The game starts and the crowd settles down around us.
“Nick is looking good,” Piper tells me, dragging a carrot through her hummus before crunching down on it. “He’s really worked hard to up his game this season.”
“Our guys will beat him. Just you wait.” My voice is cocky. I know we have what it takes to beat this team. I want it so bad, I can taste it.
“You sure about that?” Piper asks. “Reigning cup champs. That last win was a fluke.”
I shake my head at her. “You know that doesn’t matter season to season. The Knights are good. Not a fluke, sis.”
“Uh-oh. Fields siblings are getting snippy.” Colin laughs. “I don’t know who I’m placing my money on.”
“I do,” I say confidently. “Knights are winning.”
Piper sets her plate on her lap and turns to face me. “Alright. What are we betting? I’m taking the Black Diamonds. Obviously.”
“Loser has to pick up the tab when we go out to celebrate our victory.”
Piper holds out her hand to shake. “You’re on. But not just my drinks, the team’s drinks too.”
“Hope you’re ready to lose.” I squeeze her hand harder than necessary, but hey, it’s what siblings do.
“Not a chance.”
There’s a smug look on Piper’s face that I hope the Knights wipe away at the end of the game. Play is fairly even during the first period, and early on in the second until Marcus gets a breakaway and is able to put the puck in the back of the net.
“Yes!” I jump up, mindful not to throw up my arm while it’s still healing, and cheer my team on. “That was a thing of beauty.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Piper dismisses me. “Easy. We’ll get it back.”
The Knights do a great job at keeping the Black Diamonds at bay, but only for so long. A loose scramble for the puck ends up past our goalie, evening the score.
By the time the third period starts, play is starting to get chippy. With the score staying at 1-1, each team is looking for whatever advantage they can find.
“Knights are looking good.” Alex drops down into the seat in front of me and turns around. “Looks like Coach Andrews has done a lot of good for the team.”
“He has.” I sip on my water. “I hope I get to play with him for a lot longer.”
“A good coach can make or break a team. You’re lucky you didn’t have to play with their old coach. I never heard great things about him.”
“Graham wasn’t a fan of his,” Knox says as he takes the seat next to him. “But what can you do? You have to play the hand you’re dealt.”
The two of them start chatting together as the Black Diamonds head toward our goalie. He deflects the pass with ease and it’s Graham picking it up.
