Page 121 of Goaltender Interference

But Evanston retaliated a few minutes later, with Trevor Underhill getting a quick, hard shot in.

“C’mon, guys,” Connor shouted at his defensemen who were supposed to be helping Jesse out. “I need you to fucking defend the goddamn net!”

The game was going exactly like he’d expected. Quick back and forths, the score alternating with every goal that went in.

With three minutes left in the period, Anker got another goal on the power play.

At full strength again, Evanston quickly retaliated with a goal but Jesse immediately started hollering about interference and Hoyt raised a coach’s challenge. Connor went over the boards to deal with it.

“O’Shea was in my fucking paint,” Jesse argued when Connor skated up to him and the linesman. “I couldn’t defend my net!”

“I got shoved!” Kelly protested.

Connor snorted at his brother. “Right. And youaccidentallytripped and landed on my goalie’s blocker.”

Looking irritated, the linesman waved both of them off. “The goal looked good to me. Unless your coach challenges it, we’re not reviewing the play.”

Connor scowled as the guy skated away to talk to the other linesman and the refs. Thankfully, Hoyt did call a coach’s challenge, so while the officials reviewed the play, Connor glanced over at Jesse. “How are you holding up?”

Jesse shrugged, sliding his mask back. His face was pink and sweaty, his hair matted to his forehead. “Fine. Your brother is annoying though.”

“Which one?” Connor muttered.

Jesse cackled. “The one playing.” He squirted some water in his mouth.

Connor managed a half-hearted smile. “They’re all annoying, if you ask me. Hey, by the way, do you wanna come to O’Neill’s tonight? I guess we’re doing a thing there.”

“Who? Your family?”

“Yeah.”

Jesse shot him a sidelong glance. “Why are you inviting me then?”

Connor shrugged. “Well, you’repracticallyfamily now. But the team is invited too.”

“Ahh. Sure. I’ll go if you want me to.”

“Why wouldn’t I want you to?” Connor asked, baffled. Everything was better when Jesse was around. Especially when he was dealing with his annoying family. They tended to focus on Jesse instead of pesteringhim.

But before Jesse could reply, the ref’s mic clicked on and the arena went silent. “After a review of the goal, it was determined there was no goaltender interference. The goal stands. Two-minute penalty to Boston for delay of game.”

“What the fuck?” Connor called out over the boos of the crowd, pissed that not only had it been ruled as a good goal, but they were getting the penalty for losing the challenge. “That’s bullshit!”

Jesse smacked his blocker on the ice, scowling.

But there was nothing to be done about it and Connor set up to take the next faceoff.

Despite a breakaway attempt and Connor’s best efforts, it was Evanston who scored next, a shot from Hurst at the blue line, and a tip in from Kelly that sailed neatly over Jesse’s shoulder.

Boston left the ice with the score at 5-4 in favor of Evanston when the second period ended.

Of course, the team’s reporters wanted an intermission interview with Connor. Annoyed, he mopped at his face, hot and sweaty and breathing hard as they shone bright lights in his eyes and thrust a microphone in his face.

“This is one of the closest games we’ve seen between Boston and Evanston in a while,” Jocelyn Yang said, smiling at him, all perfect white teeth and glossy black hair. “Why do you think that is?”

“Well, I think we’re pretty evenly matched,” Connor said becausehello, that was fucking obvious. “And we’re both playing hard.”

“Do you think part of that is because your brother is on the team?” Jocelyn asked.

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