Page 131 of Hot for the Hockey Player
“Well, real or not, Maverick Roy is playing like a superhuman tonight,” the second sportscaster said.“And just as the disgusting news about his brother, Rebel, has come to light.”
“I don’t think it will come as any surprise, given how outspoken Maverick’s been about his own teammates and their behavior, that he won’t stand behind his brother.”
“The house of Roy will be quite divided, I’m guessing,” said the second sportscaster again.
“And it looks like they’ve had their discussion, and Roy is going back out onto the ice.Team captain, Shane Garver, gives Roy a friendly little bop on the helmet before skating back toward the net.”
“We’ve only got eight minutes left in the game and the Storm are leading, four to three.It’s anybody’s game at this point.”
The puck dropped again and with Woodman on his right, and Allard on his left, Maverick was the perfect conduit for the three of them to take it up the ice.The passing was beautiful; it was like watching burly men in uniform ice dance.They reached the net and Allard took a shot, but the Colorado goalie blocked.Maverick tried to get the rebound, but a Colorado defenseman was on him and managed to commandeer the puck away from Portland, he shot it up the ice toward Portland’s defensive zone where the Colorado’s right-wing snagged it and took a shot on goal.Silby blocked it.
The collective gasps and sighs of relief in the crowd mimicked the ones going on in my home.
The other Storm defenseman, Stanley Price, snagged the puck and knocked it up the ice to Allard, who passed it to Maverick.Maverick passed it to Woodman.
“Is Woodman going to take the shot?”the sportscaster asked.“He’s got the opening.”
Woodman passed it back to Maverick, nodded at him, and Maverick hesitated for just a second before lifting his stick up and shooting it into the right of the net, just under the goalie’s arm.
All three of us leaped up onto the couch now, rivaling the chaos in the arena.
“What is going on up here?”came Raina’s voice, Marco and Jagger behind her.
“Ah,” Jagger said, a knowing smile on his face.
Marco came to sit with us on the couch, and Raina and Jagger each grabbed a chair.
There were less than two minutes left in the game now, and Colorado had pulled their goalie.Since they really had nothing to lose at this point.Portland had a two-goal advantage.The odds of them winning and making the playoffs were good.
Maverick remained on the ice, along with his golden lineup of Garver, Woodman, Allard, Silby, and Price.It was almost like the five men communicated telepathically, the way they just always seemed to find their open teammate just perfectly.They blocked and protected, avoided getting thrown into the boards.As the last thirty seconds on the clock sped by, we all leaned forward, on the edge of our seats, knowing full well that the Storm were going to win, but still drenched in nervous, excited energy.
We sucked air into our lungs and held it there as Maverick, Woodman, and Allard skated up the ice toward the open Colorado net, almost playfully passing the puck back and forth, the two Colorado defensemen not able to keep track ofwhohad the puck.
“Woodman’s going to take the shot.He’s really stepped up this year since Mav was out,” Damon said.“He’s got it.”
“Yeah, but Allard is such a show-off,” Jagger replied.“I bet he wants the glory.”
“I think Mav should take it,” Laurel said.“He deserves this.”
We all nodded.
From Maverick, to Woodman, back to Maverick, to Allard, back to Maverick.
We all lifted up, our butts just hovering over the cushions at this point.
The clock in the corner said four seconds … three seconds … two seconds …
Maverick took the shot, right between the two Colorado defensemen, and it sailed into the net just as the buzzer went off.
We all jumped up cheering, hugging, and congratulating each other like we had something to do with the success of the game.
Tears tumbled freely down my cheeks as Raina wrapped her arms around me.“I know you’re not a hugger, but get over it,” she said, squeezing me.“You’re hurting.And hugs help.”
I hiccupped a sob in her arms and my body shook.“He needed to go back.We’ll be fine.”
She squeezed me tighter.“Whatever you say.”
“Can we have ice cream to celebrate?”Laurel asked as Raina and I let go of each other and I used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe my eyes.
