Page 112 of Puck'n Bully
I’m sure Logan and Coach have figured out their weakness by now as well.
By the time, the second period ends, I score two more goals for the team.
Fans in blue roar their excitement. Looking toward the bleachers, I search for Liam. He’s jumping up and down, waving a banner that reads:Gators Eat Farts!
I laugh hard.
Where the hell has Liam been all these years? His banners are taking away all my exhaustion and filling me with quiet chuckles.
For the first time in my life, I’m realizing what it feels like to have a friend and a family cheer for me during a game. My teammates are also loving Liam’s enthusiasm and they’re constantly high-fiving me for it.
Liam makes me so damn proud. I can’t wait for the game to end so I can go to him and devour him whole!
The whistle blows again and we’re off to play the third period.
For now, the scoreboard reads:3-1
Unlike our last game, we’re not allowing ourselves to relax.
Logan and the rest of the team are staying focused.
Mitchikov and Aminov are circling me and the other forwards but they’re also keeping a lookout for Logan, our captain and goalie. They’re being hyper-vigilant, constantly pushing and shoving the Gators so they don’t dare play foul with us.
The Gators manage to score another goal, quickly leveling up with us.
I push forward, ready to gain control of the puck even as my muscles ache from the checks and the relentless grind of the game.
Skating to the faceoff circle, I lock eyes with the opposing center. Henderson comes to a stop beside me and leans in slightly. “You win the puck and I’ll keep on your left. Mitchikov will follow us and make sure their forwards don’t get a chance to strike us.”
I nod, gripping my stick hard. “Let’s break them.”
The moment the puck drops, I snap it up with everything I’ve got. Henderson is at my side, catching it cleanly and darting across the ice like a bullet. I take after him, keeping pace.
“Hansen, right-wing!” Henderson shouts.
Hansen is the youngest player on our team this year. He’s a freshman and has the talent to become the center. He zips past the boards and takes the pass from Henderson.
I hover near the blue line, waiting and anticipating.
Hansen decks one defender and spins around another while dropping the puck back at me. My breath hitches the moment I have control of the puck again.
I don’t even stop to think. I just focus on the net, pull back my stick, and fire a shot.
The puck slices through the air and slams into the top corner of the net.
Goal!
The roar from the stands is deafening. Even though I can’t see Liam in the crowd of fans who’ve all stood up to cheer for us, I know he’s there, cheering for me like a maniac and waving a banner with a funny quote on it.
But the game’s not over yet.
Coach barks for Mitchikov and Aminov to tighten up our defenses.
As the game progresses, they keep the Gators busy by blocking them from striking us. They even check some of them hard when they try to go after Logan.
The crowd erupts the moment the final horn blares.
The scoreboard flashes:5-2,signaling the Knight’s win.
