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We’re losing to the Jaguars, and Coach Hanson is about to have a stroke.
The entire team screams at each other, faces bright red not just from playing, but from exasperation as well.
“What’s wrong with you, Allan?!” I scream at the goalie during the other team’s break.
“I’m doing what I can, Connoly. You go scream at Jones and Davies for letting them get to me!” Allan retorts, and he’s right. The two defensemen aren’t holding up well against the opposing team's attack, leaving him more exposed.
“Since when are you the captain, Connoly?” Brooks skates near me.
The coach from the Jaguars sends a new center to the ice, replacing the one who took Brooks’ stick to the face earlier on.
“Since you’re dropping the puck, Brooks!” I say.
He drops his stick and comes to push me, catching me off guard. I stumble backward, nearly losing my balance. Before I can respond, the referee intervenes, blowing his whistle to halt the action.
“You're teammates, what the hell are you doing?!” the referee demands, clearly frustrated. “Cut it out or I’ll send you both off!”
“Anderson!” Coach Hanson calls for a timeout. The referee blows the whistle again, and our coach announces, “Banks, you’re stepping in as center! Connoly, you’re taking over as captain!”
As the alternate captain, I step up to lead the team, while Brooks fumes at the sidelines. Hanson's decision emphasizes the changes in strategy.
“Alright, let’s regroup!” Coach shouts, “Connoly, Banks, Daniels, let's focus on scoring while shoring up our defense!”
The whistle blows, and the game continues. The puck is in our zone; all the boys need to do is get it out of there for us to score.
Davies passes the puck to Banks, but Banks gets tackled by the Jaguar’s left defenseman and jumps right into a brawl.
The referee doesn’t stop the match, though, so I steal the puck from their center and dodge an entire rink of angry hockey players. Thank goodness three of them are on my side.
Their left defenseman closes in, so I take a shot from the blue line, aiming for the top corner of the net, which is open. The goalie braces for the shot but misses by a far cry, and the puck makes it in. I can't help but laugh at his face when I see the goal being marked on the scoreboard.
As the game progresses, I find myself locked in a fierce battle with one of the Jaguars’ aggressive forwards. With the time ticking down, each of us fights for control of the puck.
Suddenly, he delivers a forceful check, aiming for my shoulder, causing me to stagger backward. I feel a sharp twinge in my shoulder, a familiar pain signaling a flare-up of my old rotator cuff injury. Despite the discomfort, I grit my teeth and push through the remainder of the game, determined to help my team secure a victory.
We push forward, trying to regain our lead. With just thirty seconds remaining, it's a crucial moment, but Daniels misses the shot. Now, the Jaguars have a chance to make a final push for victory or face sudden death overtime.
They score. We all drop to our knees in desperation — this is our first loss in this round, and it hurts like hell.
The siren goes off, marking the end of the match. We head back to the players’ box under a frustrated chorus of boos from the fans. My teammates throw their gear onto the bench, including sticks, helmets, jerseys, and full sets of pads.
I toss my stick inside the players’ box and sit down, my head in my hands.
“Nice job, captain.” Brooks tells me, showing me the finger.
I toss my helmet toward him and miss. I’m glad because injuring a fellow player is that last thing I need right now.
But I’m still pissed.
“Fuck you, Brooks!” I say, burying my head in my hands again.
The guys head for the locker room, but I choose to stay. I know the atmosphere in the locker room isn’t going to be the best.
Coach Hanson taps my shoulder to check if I’m alive. “A few words of encouragement would do them good.”
“Sorry, Coach.” I look up at him and touch his arm. “I wouldn’t be able to even cheer myself up.”
He nods. “We've won three out of four games," he reminds me, determination in his voice. "We need to refocus and secure our fourth win.”
