Page 65 of Drop the Gloves
Instead of being ready to play, Evan felt more off-kilter than before.He hated to admit it, but he was a little hurt that Barczyk was too busy for him.They hadn’t done their butt-tap ritual.It was stupid to miss something so childish.He’d never wanted to do it in the first place.It was just to humor Barczyk.
Excuses were easy to find.None of them made him feel any better.
* * *
“Smart hockey, people!”Coach Jack reminded them again and again, whenever they got on or off the ice.He was hammering it into their heads because the Gliders had come out hard.They had a chip on their shoulder about Barczyk, no doubt about it, and kept taking potshots at them.Even the veteran players needed the reminder, because they looked about ready to pick a fight.
“Smart.Hockey!”
Normally, Evan would be all on board for that.Smart, non-physical hockey was what he’d always aspired towards.But tonight, there was more on the line than accolades and standings points.For the first time in his entire hockey career, from when he first laced up as a kid until now, Evan wasn’t trying to play disciplined.He was there to hit anyone who got too close to Barczyk, and hopefully reap the rewards for it.
It wasn’t just about the bet with Barczyk.Sure, Evan wanted to fuck Barczyk, but he saw the way the Gliders were targeting him.After Brock Warner all but tackled him to the ice, a protective instinct had ignited in Evan.These jerks had encouraged Barczyk to play the roughest style of hockey possible, their fans had cheered when Evan had hurt his shoulder, and now that he wore a different jersey, they were pissed at him.
Barczyk, though?He was always defying Evan’s expectations.A rough player going against his former team—especially a team like the Gliders—seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to run wild.He didn’t.Barczyk played the same as always, physical and aggressive, but no worse than usual.If anything, he was more reserved.Not because he wasn’t trying to get under people’s skin, because he definitely was, but he was more strategic about it.Like instead of throwing stuff at a wall to see what stuck, he was a laser-guided missile going for a precision strike.
So far, the refs had let it all go.Everyone, Evan included, got rougher and rougher.There wasn’t a thirty-second stretch of game without someone getting hit.What had started as everyone-targeting-Barczyk had spilled over so that every line was doing their best to retaliate for something dumb someone had done earlier.By the end of the second, Evan didn’t think anyone knew what offenses anyone was upset about anymore.They were fired up, and no amount of pleas from the coaches could do much about it.
“This is kinda fun,” Barczyk said as they got ready to start the third period.“It’s like a playoff game, except with no stakes.”
“So I’m getting my ass kicked for nothing?”Vassiliev scoffed.There were murmurs of agreement down the bench.
“You know it’s bad when even Abs is roughing guys up,” Woodward said.“You see the way he threw Warner around like a rag doll?Somebody find a photo of that later and send it to me.I’m gonna make it my lock screen.”
Evan raised his shoulders as if he could disappear into his jersey.“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“It was fucking fantastic,” Barczyk said.He was chewing his mouthguard, holding it right next to his missing tooth.“I’m gonna give him so much shit for that after the game.”
“Let’s focus on getting out of Philadelphia in one piece,” Coach Jack said.“We’re up a goal.I want smart fucking hockey.I’m gonna brand it on all of your foreheads.This is not a playoff game, and I want the intensity saved for later in the season.We are a playoff-bound team, and the Gliders aren’t.We are not letting them dictate the play here.Clean checks, then you skate away.”
“I’ll play as clean as they do,” Woodward said once Coach Jack’s attention was elsewhere.Evan was inclined to agree.
“Five minutes to go,” Barczyk whispered to him as they skated out for a face-off deep in the Gliders’ zone.“Think we’re about tied in hits.”
Evan shivered.He had no idea if it was true.He’d only been able to keep track of his own hits for the first two shifts, then he’d been too distracted trying to play this weird version of hockey that felt more like football.All he knew for sure is that both of them had been active.
Evan won the face-off, and he had to wrench his head back into the game.
They spent most of the shift in the offensive zone, though they had garbage chances.When the Gliders regained the puck, Evan prepared to go for a line change because he was gassed.
Except the Gliders defenseman with the puck, instead of making the smart play and passing the puck up or clearing the zone, took aim and shot it point blank at Barczyk.He hit low on Barczyk’s chest, right below the shoulder pads.It was too well-aimed to have been an accident, and even from fifty feet away, Evan could see Barczyk wince in pain and then snarl.
He could see it happening, the way Barczyk was about to lose it on his former teammate.
Usually, he’d stay out of it.Finish his line change and let things sort themselves out.
Evan turned on his heel and raced back.He hadn’t planned on doing anything other than keeping Barczyk out of trouble, but the defenseman lifted his stick like he was about to swing it at Barczyk, and Evan’s aim shifted.He no longer cared about stopping Barczyk from doing something stupid; he was too busy being the stupid one.
Bam!
Because the guy had no idea Evan was coming, he never braced for the hit.He stumbled as he tried to catch his balance, feet swinging wildly as he hit the ground and got his left leg tangled under him, and couldn’t get his arms out to move to protect himself.His chest hit the ice first, then his head.It was an awkward fall, and Evan instantly regretted causing it.
“Sorry,” he choked out.“Shit, I didn’t mean?—”
He was drowned out by a series of whistles.“Twenty-one, in the box!Two minutes for charging.”
“I—” His jaw snapped shut.He couldn’t argue the call.He’d done it, no question.In the moment, he hadn’t thought twice about it.But part of him wanted to protest.Look at how they’ve been acting all game!It’s not my fault!I’m not a goon!
Barczyk skated over and tapped the defenseman (who seemed fine, thank fuck, just shaken up) with the blade of his stick.“FAFO, amirite?”
