Page 98 of Goaltender Interference

“Webber,” Schultz called.

Jesse straightened in his seat. “Yes?”

“I like what you did here. You were anticipating the shot. Good forethought, good reaction time. You got a piece of it and I like that. Clayton, do you see where you failed your netminder here?”

Tanner, sitting to Jesse’s right, grimaced. “Yes.”

“Break it down for me.”

Schultz was brutal. He didn’t just call out players for their mistakes, he made the guys identify them. It was awful and clever at once, and Jesse was grudgingly appreciative.

“I shouldn’t have gone below the goal line, because it left the shooter uncovered. I was too far back to get to him in time.”

“Exactly!” Schultz said. “And that goes for you too, Crawford. Two D behind the goal leaves it completely open, while Webber’s scrambling to make up for your bad positioning. It’s sloppy defending and it’s giving our opponents way too many scoring chances. Dallas will ruthlessly exploit that in tomorrow’s game unless you clean it up.”

On the other hand, Schultz wasn’t stingy with his praise. Neither was their head coach. If a guy did well, then Hoyt let them know it. He was straightforward too. No mind games like Gilly had enjoyed playing.

A few minutes later, Schultzdidcall Jesse out for being way too far out of his crease, then followed it up with more feedback for the defensemen who, once again, had been in the wrong position.

But on the whole, Jesse left the video room feeling better about his play than he had when he walked in. There were things he’d done wrong and things he could work on, but it wasn’t all on him like it had felt for a while.

And sure, the guys had told him it wasn’t his fault in the locker room after the games when he’d sat there in his gear, sweat-soaked and defeated. But sometimes it tookseeingit on the screen and having it broken down to give him the perspective he needed.

Jesse was going to have to get used to playing for a team with weaker defense. They were working on it, but they didn’t have guys like Jonah Brewer, Felix Hale, Matty Carlson, and Nico Arents playing for them. Tanner would be good someday, but he was still learning.

Boston didn’t have the depth Toronto did and building that would take time.

Jesse had turned toward the workout room when he was stopped in his tracks.

He turned to see Connor, who had grabbed his arm. “Hey. I’ve got a meeting with Racine later this afternoon. You wanna stick around here or find a ride home?”

Jesse glanced at the time on his phone. “I’ve got some work to do with Foley and Crane but I’ll be done in a couple of hours. Do you think you’ll be ready before then?”

Connor grimaced. “Probably not.”

“Then I’ll find a ride home.”

“Sorry.”

“Nah, you’re fine.” Jesse waved it off. “You want me to swing by the grocery store or anything?”

“No, Ma said she’d bring by some groceries when she drops the girls off.”

“Okay. Want me to start dinner once she does?”

Connor got a weird, grateful look on his face. “Would you? That would be a huge help. The recipe’s in the app.”

“Sure.” Jesse shrugged. “I’ve got nowhere else to be.”

“Aww,” Crawford cooed, draping his arms over both Jesse’s and Connor’s shoulders. “Aren’t you two adorably domestic?”

Annoyed, Jesse ducked out from the heavy weight of Crawford’s arm as Connor pushed him away too.

“Fuck off. Just becauseyoucan’t cook to save your fucking life,” Connor grumbled.

Crawford smirked. “Why bother when I can hire people?”

“Yeah, you probably hire them to suck your dick too,” Connor shot back. “It’s not like anyone else wants you.”

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