Body Check

The raucous cheers of the crowd and the echoes of skates scraping against the ice filled the air as Brody and his teammates celebrated their hard-fought victory. Despite the sweat dripping down his face and the sore ribs from the forecheck he’d taken in the second period, Brody was high on adrenaline and the contagious joy sweeping through the rink.

Fuck yeah. They’d swept the first round of the playoffs. Four games, four wins. The Vipers hadn’t even stood a chance.

The home fans looked dejected, shoulders sagging and faces stricken as bodies began leaving their seats and heading for the exits. Brody knew the feeling. Michigan, his home team, hadn’t made it past a first playoffs round in more than a decade.

“What? No interviews about your love life tonight?” Erik Levy mocked. The defenseman’s eyes twinkled as he chortled to himself.