Chapter 9
Robbie
What the hell am I doing?
I’ve been asking myself that question ever since I met Olivia. I don’t know what it is about her, but I am in way over my head. And the worst part is, she doesn’t even want anything to do with me.
You are a player and I am an official. That is the end of our professional relationship.
I can’t even lie, it stung to hear her say that. In my mind, I thought we were on our way to becoming friends. I thought I would impress her tonight with my charming personality and some light banter, and then I would ask her out for a drink afterwards. I have so many questions for her.
Why did she choose to become a referee? Does she play hockey? Who’s her favorite player? Favorite team?
That conversation we just had was the bucket of ice water I needed dumped on my head to bring me back to reality. She’s right, too. She doesn’t need me intervening in any conflicts, and I don’t need to be thinking about her when I’m out on the ice. I need my head in the game.
“Hey man, are you good?” Elias asks as we get on the ice and prepare for the third period.
“Yeah, just got distracted for a moment.” I shake myself out and give him a smile right before he skates away to get to the net. I see Ashton and Jordan skating up to me.
“Got any plans after the game?” I ask them.
“Bedtime,” Jordan says at the same time Ashton replies, “Going out.”
I shake my head, but before I can chastise him, he says, “In my defense, I’ve cut way back on the drinking. And I’m only going out to see some old friends in town.” Since he used to play for the Vermont team, he knows a lot of people in the area. Even some of the Vortices players are old friends of his. Not the nicest guys in the world, but they’re not the scum of the earth like Mitchell, so I guess there’s that.
“Alright man, just be safe,” I say.
“Thanks, Grandpa,” Ashton says as we get in position to start the period.
The last period has been shit, but we are almost done with only 2 minutes left on the clock. The linesmen call so many offsides and icings that we barely have time to gain momentum on the play. Ashton gets another 2 minutes in the penalty box for holding Mitchell, and Jordan gets checked so hard he has to go down the tunnel and effectively sit out the rest of the game. Hopefully he’s just rattled and it’s not a concussion or anything worse.
Vortices player #15 got a minor penalty for verbally abusing Olivia, and after he continued to do it, he got ejected from the game. While I understand her frustration with him, I think that was a bad call. Now the rest of his team is angry and fueled up.
Since we iced the puck, the play starts in our defensive zone. At the face-off, the Vortices get control of the puck and they pass it to Mitchell who is close to the net. He catches it and shoots at Elias, but the rebound bounces off. As Elias dives for it, Mitchell slashes at his stick and knocks it out of his hand, then shoots the puck in the net.
Olivia immediately blows the whistle and all hell breaks loose. She calls out goalie interference and announces no goal, but Mitchell is not having it. He’s yelling out that the goal was valid and pushes Elias. That’s all we need for us to jump on him. No one touches our goalie.
Elias falls into the net and we take Mitchell down almost immediately, but more Vortices players join the scuffle. The linesmen are there to break us up, but this fight has been brewing all night and we are not stopping. Mitchell and another guy drop their gloves and start fighting with two of our Manticores, one of them being Ashton.
Ash and Mitchell are both circling each other and taking cheap shots, but when Mitchell’s fist makes contact with Ashton’s jaw, he gains the advantage and takes him down, getting a few more punches in. Olivia and the other ref start to lead both of them to the penalty box. She has a firm hand on Ash and he’s clutching his nose, which may be bleeding.
I’m skating behind them so I can clearly hear Ashton and Mitchell swearing and yelling at each other but I don’t hear what Olivia says to Mitchell. Whatever it is, it makes him rip out of the other ref’s grip and turn, fist raised up as if he’s about to hit. I can’t tell if he means to hit Ashton or Olivia. Regardless, I can’t allow either of them to be hurt any more by this asshole, so I step in. Right as I do, I feel his fist collide with my face and my head snaps to the side. I can taste the blood in my mouth, but as much as I want to retaliate, I decide to take the high road. There are so many penalties being handed out after this fight, there’s no reason for me to get one too.
Before he can take another shot at me, the two linesmen and the ref escort him to the tunnel. He’s out. Olivia takes Ashton to our tunnel as well, then returns to discuss the penalties being handed out.
We get two penalties courtesy of Ashton for fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct. The Vortices get three penalties on account of Mitchell for goaltender interference, fighting, and unsportsmanlike conduct.
A minute and a half left in the game and we are 3 vs 2 on the ice. In this scenario I usually have Ashton and Jordan here with me, but with them out of the game, I have another forward and defenseman assist me in the play. The Vortices pull their goalie to get an extra player and make it even, but thankfully, we keep the pressure off of our net. I score an empty net goal and we manage to run out the clock for the remaining thirty seconds. When the buzzer goes off, the victory, if we can even call it that, is ours.