Page 158 of Triple Pucked
After the shock that Shay and D’Angelo went through on Thursday night, the Avs thought that this would be an easy win. After all, this wasn’t something that could be hidden from the rival team.
I feared that the Bay Rebels would be a mess.
Shay refused to leave Eden’s side for strategy meetings or practice, no matter what Dad threatened him with, spending the last few days in hospital with his brother.
Meanwhile, D’Angelo hasn’t slept for longer than a snatched half an hour here and there on the hard hospital chairs or between practice. He helped Eden to field the cops’ questions, while I worked out how to field the press’.
Yet not only has D’Angelo led Shay and the rest of the team to a tie but also to tying the first two rounds of the shootout.
Now, they have to play the third.
This is the Bay Rebels’ final chance to break the tie and win.
Every player who has taken a turn on both sides has scored each time.
No one has made a mistake.
They’ve been flawless under the pressure.
Hockey may be a team sport, but there is something thrilling about watching each player show off their individual skills like this.
It’s a one on one battle.
Zach, as goalie, is pale. He looks like he’s suddenly been called to enlist in a war.
I’ve heard shootouts called a chess match with pucks instead of pawns.
Zach may disagree, since in chess you don’t usually have to dive desperately to defend against pawns that are hit at you at over hundred miles per hour.
Dad and Fleet are standing close together behind the glass, looking even tenser, as if they’re moments from dragging on a pair of skates and jumping onto the ice to take a shot for the team themselves.
“You’ve got this!” I yell, before losing my balance on the cold metal of the bench and tumbling forward.
Eden grasps me by the arm and catches me before I can fall on my face in front of the thousands in the arena, millions at home, and the press.
I blush. “Thanks.” Then I notice the wince that Eden can’t hide, as he drops his hold on me and holds his side. “Are you okay?”
Eden is the reason that we’re sitting on the bench and not pressing our noses up to the glass like I’m desperate to.
I grimace at the sight of Eden’s purple and swollen eye. His lip is busted. He’s holding himself stiffly, which I bet is because of the pain in his chest.
He is still looking immaculate with slicked back hair, as well as being dressed in his game night suit.
He insisted on that.
He is attending this evening against medical advice. As I have now learned, however, Eden is the most stubborn out of any of us.
He merely gave D’Angelo this long, silent stare.
D’Angelo lost the staring contest.
I have a feeling that I don’t really know Eden at all. And that he could out-dom his mentor.
Cody is standing near Fleet, however, along with Noah, the team nurse. Michael has given them both clear instructions of what to watch out for with Eden.
I wouldn’t have been able to keep my brother away from Eden anyway. Cody remained on the other side of the hospital bed to Shay throughout Eden’s stay in hospital.
With the deep shadows underneath Cody’s eyes, he appears to have slept as little as D’Angelo has.
