Page 48 of Dreams
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“Inexcusable!” Coach Peterson yelled, his eyes scanning the locker room. “You’re better than that. I want you to forget about that period. From here on out, this is a new game.”
Josh didn’t listen to the rest of what Coach said. He pulled his sopping undershirt away from his chest and then released it to stick against his skin once more. He couldn’t seem to do anything right out there. Coach took him out of the face-off circle and even benched him for the last few minutes. He just knew his brother was in the stands loving it.
He wanted to do well in front of them. Many people had had doubts about his talent throughout his junior career, but his family doubting it had been the worst. It wasn’t until he made the NHL that his parents stopped telling him he needed to get serious about his future because hockey was a long shot.
He didn’t want to prove them right.
“You good, Walker?” Olle asked walking up in front of Josh.
Josh hadn’t realized Coach stopped speaking or that his teammates were already putting their gear back on.
“Yeah.” Josh pulled his jersey on over his head and tied it down.
“Look,” Olle went on. “We need you to be better than that.”
“I know.”
“Do you? Sometimes I get the impression you think you’re expendable.”
Josh looked away and Olle put a strong hand on his shoulder before continuing. “The team needs you, but not if you don’t play your game.”
He glanced at Carter across the room and smiled at Olle’s use of the same words he’d said to the kid.
The team marched out as the crowd cheered. They were here to see a good game, and they needed to try to give them that, despite being down 2-0.
Mack took the face-off and Josh jumped into the play. It was an uneventful shift, but he didn’t screw up. Almost as soon as he was back on the bench, the game was stopped and they had a short break.
“Walker.” Mack nudged him in the side.
“What?”
“Look.” He pointed towards the scoreboard, and Josh could only stare.
It was Taylor holding a sign to the glass that readJosh, I’m here. Show them.It wasn’t just a sign, it was a work of art.
“Oh my God,” Coach Scott said when he saw what was going on.
Josh scanned the glass surrounding the ice until he found that telltale short hair and glasses. Mack grabbed his shoulders and shook him as he grinned.
“Dude, that girl totally has the hots for you,” Mack said, loudly enough that most of their teammates heard. They chuckled as they started to rib him.
The game started again, and it was all business as soon as the face-off was taken. Josh cast a glance back at Coach Scott to find him smiling as well. He couldn’t remember ever seeing that expression on his coach’s face.
“Josh,” Coach Peterson yelled. “What are you doing, lover boy? I told you to get your ass in there!”
His skates hit the ice, and it suddenly felt like a different game. Zakharov skated with the puck out of the zone and passed to Mack at center ice. Mack darted down the center, passing to Josh as he saw two defensemen closing in. Josh circled behind the net before serving a perfect saucer pass back to Mack, who’d parked himself in front of the net. A loud ping sounded as the puck hit the bar at the back of the net.
The green light went on, the horn sounded, and one cannon blast filled the arena. The guys on the ice came together, slapping Mack and Josh on their backs and then it was back to business. They were still down.
Halfway through the period, a Penguins defenseman crunched Mack into the boards, throwing an elbow to the back of his head. The ref missed it, and no penalty was called. Mack was a little wobbly as he returned to the bench, but ultimately okay.
Before that defenseman was able to get off, Josh went after him, dropping his shoulder as he made contact. The guy started swinging, his fist connecting with the side of Josh’s helmet. Both men threw their gloves to the ice and squared off. Most of their punches missed at first, but then they grabbed hold of each other’s jerseys.
The crowd was on their feet, cheering them on and the energy pulsed through Josh. He threw a hook shot and got the side of the Penguin player’s face again and again. His eye socket burned as a punch landed there. Before the refs could step in to break it up, Josh’s skate was kicked out from under him and the two men tumbled to the ice, one on top of the other. They were pulled apart as their teammates hit their sticks on the ice in applause.
Josh touched his newly split lip, his fingertips coming away bloody, as he made his way to the locker room, his fighting penalty taking him out of the rest of the period.
