7. Dover
Sweat trickles down my neck and soaks the collar of my jersey during the grueling first period, the intensity of the game evident from the very first shift.
Immediately after the opening face-off, Dragon, their star player, sliced through the neutral zone with impressive speed and control, weaving past our defenders before unleashing a fierce and precise wrist shot aimed at the top corner of the net.
Our goalie, Bradford, had anticipated the play perfectly—he was crouched and ready, eyes locked on the puck.
As Dragon’s shot rocketed toward him, Bradford reacted in a flash, snapping his glove up for a spectacular, dynamic save that drew cheers from our bench and kept the Lions from scoring.
Moments later, I found myself locked in a fierce battle behind our net, wrestling for possession of the puck with both Dragon and McKenzie.
The three of us jostled and shoved, sticks clattering against the boards as we fought for control.
In the chaos, I couldn’t help but wonder with growing frustration where the hell Rhodes and Nikoli were—I needed backup, and fast. Just as Dragon started to gain the upper hand, Rhodes appeared out of nowhere and delivered a crushing body check that sent Dragon sprawling and separated him from the puck.
The hit echoed through the rink, energizing our team.
Nikoli, always alert, was quick to react.
He swoops in, scooping up the loose puck and deftly clearing it out of our defensive zone, ensuring the Lions remained scoreless for the time being.
As I tried to regain my balance, McKenzie gave me a hard shove, attempting to knock me off my stride.
I refused to be rattled, brushing off the contact and focusing on the play.
Ignoring McKenzie’s attempt to provoke me, I dug in and sprinted up the ice, determined to turn defense into offense and create a scoring chance for my team.
That doesn’t happen, and then the first period is over.
Sweat drips down my face as I remove the bucket from my head, feeling a rush of relief as the cool air hits my skin.
I reach for a towel and methodically dry my head and face, savoring the momentary comfort before draping the towel around my shoulders.
Still catching my breath, I grab a cold bottle of water, twisting off the cap and taking a long, refreshing drink.
The icy liquid soothes my dry throat as I walk over to my cubby, where I take a seat among my teammates, the hum of the locker room buzzing around us.
Coach gives us a brief moment to recover, allowing us to catch our breath and gather our thoughts.
Then, he calls our attention, his voice cutting through the chatter as he begins to discuss our performance on the ice so far.
He breaks down our moves, pointing out what we did well and where we can improve, his tone both encouraging and firm.
He focuses especially on strategies for getting past Dragon and his sidekick McKenzie, offering us practical advice and specific tactics to outmaneuver their defense in the next period.
The break ends almost as quickly as it began, and we're back on the ice, adrenaline mounting as we prepare for the second period. The enthusiasm in the rink is palpable as we take our positions, eager to put Coach's suggestions into action.
As the puck drops, Dario reacts instantly, winning the face-off with a swift, practiced motion.
He quickly gains control and sends the puck up the ice to Nikoli, who deftly fakes a shot, drawing the defenders toward him.
In a split second, Nikoli passes the puck laterally to Rhodes at the blue line, who is perfectly positioned.
Rhodes winds up and unleashes a powerful, low slap shot, aiming for a teammate to redirect the puck.
Madden, battling fiercely through heavy traffic in front of the net, manages to get his stick on the puck, expertly tipping it just enough to send it past the outstretched glove of the Lions’ goalie.
The crowd erupts as the puck hits the back of the net, breaking the deadlock and putting us ahead on the scoreboard.
Overcome with excitement, I race toward Madden, my skates cutting across the ice as I reach him. Without thinking, I leap up and throw my arms around him, celebrating his incredible goal as our teammates swarm us, the joy of the moment radiating through the team.
Just a few minutes later, the Lions mount a swift and determined counterattack.
Dragon, one of their fastest skaters, spots an opening and accelerates down the ice, finding a clear lane on a breakaway.
With only the goaltender to beat, he approaches the net with impressive speed and skill, attempting to slip the puck through the goalie’s legs—a classic five-hole move.
However, Bradford reads Dragon’s intentions perfectly.
Anticipating the shot, Bradford reacts instantly, dropping into a butterfly stance and slamming his pads together just in time to seal off the gap, effectively denying Dragon the equalizing goal and keeping our team in the lead.
As the game reaches its midway point, the intensity continues to build.
Dragon, relentless in his pursuit, pressures our defense and manages to force a critical turnover near center ice.
Seizing the opportunity, he surges into our defensive zone with remarkable speed, posing an immediate threat.
Rhodes recognizes the danger and quickly steps up to challenge Dragon, attempting to close the gap and disrupt his advance.
However, Dragon showcases his stick-handling prowess by executing a quick and deceptive toe-drag move, skillfully maneuvering the puck around Rhodes.
Caught off balance and out of position, Rhodes makes a desperate attempt to recover by reaching out with his stick, but in doing so, he inadvertently trips Dragon.
The collision sends Dragon crashing hard into the boards, drawing the attention of the officials.
As a result of the infraction, Rhodes is assessed a two-minute penalty for tripping and is sent to the penalty box—commonly referred to as the “sin bin.” This penalty puts our team at a disadvantage, forcing us to play shorthanded in a four-on-five situation, as the Lions prepare to capitalize on their power play opportunity.
The Lions' power play units waste no time establishing their umbrella formation deep within our defensive zone, spreading out their forwards and defensemen to maximize passing lanes and shooting opportunities.
Dragon, their skilled playmaker, takes command of the offense from his position on the half-wall, calmly surveying the ice for openings and directing his teammates with quick gestures and sharp glances.
Suddenly, he spots a seam and unleashes a powerful, precise cross-seam pass that slices through the slot, setting up a perfect one-timer opportunity for his teammate waiting on the far side.
Reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, Bradford pushes off the post and slides across the crease in a full split-second stretch.
He extends his pad just in time, making a spectacular, highlight-reel save that draws gasps from the crowd.
The puck rebounds dangerously into the low slot, where Nikoli is locked in a fierce battle with the Lions' net-front presence. Displaying grit and determination, Nikoli outmuscles his opponent, gains inside position, and manages to sweep the rebound safely into the corner. He then pins the puck along the boards, using his body to shield it and kill off several precious seconds from the Lions’ power play.
Frustration begins to mount for the Lions, particularly for Dragon, who has been stymied repeatedly by Bradford’s impenetrable goaltending.
In a moment of lost composure, Dragon becomes overly aggressive.
As I collect the puck and attempt to skate it out of the zone, Dragon closes in from behind and delivers a blatant, high slash directly to my wrists—a clear infraction, which fucking hurts.
The referee immediately raises his arm and whistles the play dead, sending Dragon to the penalty box for two minutes on a slashing call.
This penalty results in a four-on-four situation, opening up the ice for both teams, at least for the next thirty seconds until Rhodes, who is serving a minor penalty of his own, is eligible to return to the ice.
Rhodes has returned to his position as Dario maintains control of the puck along the right-side boards, carefully scanning the ice for options.
Dario takes his time, analyzing the positioning of us and our opponents, before making a calculated decision.
He sends a sharp, accurate pass up high to Rhodes, who is stationed at the blue line.
Rhodes receives the puck smoothly and begins to walk the line, subtly shifting his position laterally.
His movement draws the attention of the Lions’ defender, who is forced to move upward to challenge him, creating a gap in the defensive coverage.
Seizing the opportunity, Rhodes delivers a crisp, precise pass down low to Madden, who is perfectly positioned near the face-off circle.
Without hesitating, Madden executes a flawless, no-look pass across the royal road—a dangerous cross-ice area in front of the net—directly to me.
I am waiting at the backdoor, poised and ready for the play.
As the puck arrives, I unleash a powerful, blistering one-timer, sending the puck rocketing into the top corner of the net.
The Lions’ goaltender has no chance to react in time, and the puck hits the twine before he can even move, capping off a beautifully executed sequence.
Then all goes to shit in the third period.
Trailing by two goals late in the third period, Dragon takes it upon himself to ignite a comeback for the Minnesota Lions.
He gathers speed through the neutral zone, weaving past defenders and driving wide into the heart of our territory.
With determination etched on his face, Dragon angles toward the net, hoping to create a scoring opportunity for his struggling team.
As he approaches the slot, Nikoli reads the play perfectly, closing the gap with impeccable timing.
Nikoli steps up and delivers a textbook, bone-crushing shoulder-to-shoulder body check, sending a jolt through the arena.
The force of the hit sends Dragon sprawling into the corner boards, his stick flying from his hands and clattering against the glass.
Frustration boils over inside Dragon. I see the look of anger brewing on his face.
Dragon quickly scrambles to his feet, his eyes locked on Nikoli.
In a burst of emotion, he skates straight at our defense and delivers a vicious, two-handed cross-check squarely into Nikoli’s back, right between the numbers.
Madden reacts instantly. He drops his stick without hesitation and charges into the corner, determined to defend Nikoli and stand up to Dragon’s aggression.
Sensing the confrontation escalating, Dragon spins around, rips off his gloves and helmet, and lunges toward Madden.
The tension in the rink reaches a fever pitch as the two players prepare to settle their differences the old-fashioned way, with fists flying and tempers flaring.
The referee blows the whistle, but the two players are already locked up near the boards.
Dragon lands a hard right hook to Madden’s shoulder.
Madden counters by grabbing Dragon's jersey, pulling him close, and unleashing two quick uppercuts. I race over and get grabbed by McKenzie, who tries to punch me. Rhodes gets McKenzie off of me. Then McKenzie suddenly shouts at me, his voice echoing across the rink, “You gay motherfucker—” The rest of his words are lost to me, drowned out as a surge of blood rushes into my ears, making everything sound muffled and distant. Rage overtakes me in an instant. Without thinking, I lunge at the bastard, tackling him hard and driving him down onto the cold, unforgiving ice. The referees immediately disapprove of my actions, their whistles shrieking as they rush toward us. I’m absolutely furious, practically foaming at the mouth, and I try with all my strength to break free from their grip, desperate to get another shot at McKenzie.
But the officials are too quick, yanking us apart before I can land another blow.
Before I know it, chaos erupts all around us.
It’s like a three-ringed circus out here.
Every player on our line is suddenly locked in a furious brawl with the Lions’ line, fists flying and bodies crashing together in a wild, uncontrolled melee.
The crowd goes wild, their cheers and shouts filling the arena with deafening noise.
Meanwhile, the linesmen scramble to restore order, diving in between players, grabbing jerseys, and doing everything they can to separate the fighters and break up the chaos that has overtaken the ice.
On the bench, both teams bang their sticks against the boards, egging their teammates on.
In the end, the game is essentially finished, with the outcome no longer in doubt.
Dragon receives a series of penalties: he is assessed a two-minute minor penalty for cross-checking, a five-minute major penalty for fighting, and, on top of that, a ten-minute game misconduct penalty, which results in his ejection from the remainder of the game.
The rest of the players involved in the altercation also receive penalties, each being given a two-minute minor penalty for fighting.
Me, I get five minutes for fighting. With the penalties handed out and the opposing team unable to recover, the game concludes with a score of two to nothing.
With adrenaline coursing through my blood, not to mention the blood leaking from my busted lip, I trudge with my team back to the locker room, still furious at McKenzie. I tell myself it’s not a secret. But fuck me, that hasn’t happened before.