Page 60 of The Trade Deadline
In the third period, Ryan got a shift before him. On an entry into the zone, he made a beautiful shot through the defenseman’s legs. It went right on net, low and hard and forcing the goalie to decide whether to cover or clear it. He opted to cover it, but waited just long enough that he ended up getting snowed by Ryan.
“Snowing a goalie,” Jake said and let out a whistle. “Bold move. You gonna copy that one?”
Ryan was currently skating away from a defenseman who looked like he wanted nothing more than to knock Ryan on his ass.
“If someone else goes near that crease, it’ll be the goalie who tackles them. I’ll try shooting through someone’s legs. Seems safer, yeah?”
As it turned out, shooting between someone’s legs was harder than it looked. An opportunity would vanish before Lars could even decide if the resulting shot would go anywhere near the net. Luckily, when he was behind the net retrieving the puck, inspiration struck. The two defensemen were in position to block his path on both sides. Lars picked up the puck and chipped it over the net, aiming right for the goalie’s numbers. He hit his mark and the puck rolled down his back and stopped right on the goal line. Feeling something hit him, the goalie reached behind himself instinctively to try and cover the puck, instead knocking it right into the back of the net.
The cheers erupted just as Lars was crushed between Jake and Tomas in a celebratory hug. He hadn’t actually expected that to work (it never had when he was a small child trying it in practice), and he was delighted to see he’d pulled it off.
“Highlight reel goal right there, Nilsy,” Ryan said at the bench and offered Lars a fist bump. “Not sure I can do it.”
Lars’s heart sank. What had been an exciting moment of a childhood dream coming true now made him feel guilty. If Ryan couldn’t do it, would this whole thing backfire?
“That never works,” he said apologetically. “You don’t have to?—”
“Nah,” Ryan said. He didn’t seem disheartened at the prospect of repeating the move himself. If anything, he looked excited by the challenge. “I might as well try it.”
The game was rapidly drawing to a close. On Ryan’s next shift, he only got the puck once as the Aviators made a push to recover from the embarrassment of Lars’s goal. Lars didn’t fare much better, mostly spending the forty seconds dodging blatant attempts to smash him into the boards, even when the puck was clear across the rink. Though it did keep Lars on the edge of his seat when Ryan next took the ice.
The shift started boringly enough with what should’ve been an icing against the Crabs but a weird bounce slowed it down enough for Ryan to get there ahead of the Aviators and pick it up behind the net. He was briefly alone, uncontested and with no real pass options. It was a chance, albeit a rapidly disappearing one.
Lars watched with something akin to horror as he saw Ryan start to lift up the puck. The goalie was ready and a defenseman was coming from Ryan’s left to slam him into the boards. Ryan was going to get hurt because of their stupid bet and it would be Lars’s fault.
What ended up happening was much more glorious than a failed bounce off the goalie. Hell, it was better than Lars’s successful bounce. No doubt seeing his window vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, once Ryan had the puck on his stick, he took a few steps forward and slung it lacrosse-style into the open net.
There was a whole second of silence before the bench and stands erupted in chaos.
“HE DID A MICHIGAN, BOYS!” someone screamed. “RJ did a fucking Michigan!”
The goal didn’t save Ryan from getting knocked over from behind, but he was immediately helped to his feet by his linemates, who in turn almost knocked him over with their enthusiastic hugs and pats on the back. Lars had seen Ryan’s quiet, pleased smiles when he scored or did well; this was a million times better. He radiated pride as he accepted the cheers and applause. It was the type of jaw-aching smile that would hurt after, the soreness a reminder of the wonderful moment that had caused it.
Lars was barely able to give Ryan a fistbump as he skated by the bench before heading back to center ice to finish his shift, but Lars’s heart swelled with too many emotions for him to pin down and name. It was all he could do to concentrate enough to get through the game— a solid 4-1 win over the downtrodden Aviators—and keep his shit together until they were in the locker room.
“You lucky bastard!” He stomped over to Ryan, who’d only managed to take off his gloves, and threw his arms around him. He was briefly tempted to kiss him, knowing everyone would pass it off as excitement, but he ignored the impulse. Instead he squeezed him tightly as he lifted him in the air and shook him a few times, much to the delight of the team who whooped and hollered like Ryan was a conquering hero. Lars reluctantly stepped aside to let others offer their praise. It was hard not to hover, but he wanted to make sure Ryan got the full experience.
“Player of the Game,” Coach Thompkins announced as he came in. The man was friendly enough but rarely looked particularly happy. Tonight he wore the expression of a proud father, pleased with his son’s performance and how it reflected on him. He handed Ryan the comically large plastic crab that they passed around to the player who they deemed had the best game.
Ryan held up the crab as his spoils of war, the team saluting the honored crab and its owner. The team was riled up so much by the victory that after their obligatory media check-ins, most of them went to Rangoons to celebrate and toast the crab.
With the first part of his plan well under way, Lars started to figure out how to implement the next (and most important) phase.
Step two: flirt shamelessly.
The Golden Duo: Nilsson and Russell Lead Crabs
Abigail Cunningham, The Baltimore Sun
IT’S NO REAL SURPRISE that Lars Nilsson has been a standout on the Blue Crabs this season. His goal and point totals speak for themselves, and while not as impressive as they have been in previous seasons, he’s within a stone’s throw of his usual numbers (last year he scored 52 goals and currently is on pace for 47). He’s been winning games, filling seats, and selling jerseys, which is no doubt exactly why General Manager Charlie Monroe leapt at the chance to sign Nilsson in the off season. And while fans are no doubt pleased with the results so far, some of the most exciting things happening have come from a familiar player in an unfamiliar role.
Ryan “RJ” Russell came to Baltimore halfway through the season just over two years ago. Since then, he’s mostly filled in holes in the third and fourth lines with occasional looks at the second. This year, he’s been centering the second line and for several stretches has been moved up to the first. Yes, Russell has performed so well that he’s pushed Nilsson out of the top spot. He’s on pace for a thirty goal season, the first of his career; last year he scored seventeen goals. What’s changed?
For answers, I turned to Mickey “McHockey” Hoack, a former Blue Crab who won the Stanley Cup with them back in the ‘70s. He’s been the Crabs’ color commentator for well over a decade, bringing his understanding of both the game and the franchise to fans.
“He’s playing with confidence,” McHockey said after the team’s recent game against Winnipeg. “He’s always been a talented skater, one of those reliable players who’s there to grind through the hard minutes. Now he’s showing finesse. He’s taking control and driving the play instead of reacting to it.”
And while that might be a satisfying answer for some, I, for one, still wonder: why now? What’s the impetus behind this newfound confidence? What’s driven this change to Russell’s game?
