by David Skuy
“Okay, you two,” Hilton said. “I like the team to be loose, but there’s a limit.” He faced the team. Charlie leaned back against the wall. It was one of his favourite moments in hockey, a few minutes before the game, butterflies in his stomach, and the best coach he’s ever had about to give a pep talk.
“We are going to win this tournament,” Hilton said. “We have too much to lose. But don’t get me wrong. It’s not about putting pressure on yourselves. Forget about winning. Forget about the roof, and all that. When you hit the ice, I want everything to be about effort. We will work the other teams to death. They won’t be taking this as seriously as we are. Remember that in this tournament you get one point for each period you win, and then one more point for winning the game, so we can’t take any time off, not even one shift.
“In this game I want you to overwhelm the other team from the start. I want the game over by the end of the first period. Unfortunately, we only have nine players and one goalie, and we have three games to play today. We will have to conserve our energy at times, so a quick start is crucial.”
He nodded and the players nodded back. “I know you are experienced players, so there’s no need to complicate things. Defencemen, up the boards and out with quick first passes. Wingers, work hard to set up for the outlet. Centres, for the first period go for the goals. I’m willing to take that chance. Then we’ll switch it up and you can focus on your defensive assignments. Got it?”
“Got it,” the players responded.
“Dalton has managed to do some statistical work,” Hilton said. “Dalton, what do you have for us?”
Dalton unfolded a paper. “We’re playing a team called Winona High. They are not well known for athletics, having won only one significant trophy in the last ten years — in girls’ cross-country.”
“If they come out in shorts and T-shirts we’re cooked,” Scott joked.
Dalton continued. “They have three boys that play A-level hockey, and one that plays Double-A. They also have two girls that play A-level hockey. That should give us a talent advantage, at least on paper.” He pointed at a cooler he had placed by the door. “By the way, I have purchased a wide array of foods and drinks to replenish depleted vitamins and minerals. We have very little time between this game and the next one against Northern, so I have prepared some appropriate snacks.”
“I’m often depleted by cheering,” Scott said.
“Sorry,” Dalton replied, placing one foot on the cooler.
Scott pouted. “Fine. I’ll starve to death with the two sandwiches and the bag of chips and the apple I brought.”
“I believe the biggest challenge, Mr. Hilton, will be our final game against Chelsea,” Dalton added.
“What?” Charlie exclaimed. “Chelsea is in the tournament?”
“They are a last-minute entry,” Dalton said. “There are now five teams in the tournament. Each team plays three games, although one team has to play an extra game; fortunately, not us. Chelsea has some very good players, apparently. Especially …” he looked at his paper, “Savard and Burnett. They are Triple-A players, I believe.”
Hilton checked his watch. “Okay, Terrence Falls. We won’t worry about Chelsea just yet. Put this game away, fast, and break their spirit. We don’t want Winona to even consider the possibility of winning a period, let alone the game. Are we ready?”
The players roared back, “Yes!”
“That reminds me. I wrote a team cheer,” Scott announced, as the players got up. “If you lose energy, just give me the sign and I’ll unleash it.”
“Please tell me you’re joking,” Nick said.
“I’ll do something better. I’ll debut it right now.” He clenched a fist. “Terrence Falls? Yes! Terrence Falls? Yes! Terrence Falls? Yes! Yes! Yes!”
“That’s the best cheer I’ve ever heard,” Nick said. “I think you should stand up in front of the entire school and scream that at the top of your lungs.”
“Nick, you’re a genius. Why keep this to myself? So let’s hear it, people.”
“Terrence Falls?” Scott yelled.
“Yes!” they chanted back between fits of laughter.
Scott kept the chant going as he led them to the ice. Charlie hung back with Pudge.
“We needed Chelsea like a hole in the head,” Charlie said. “They’re going to be tough to beat with only ten players — not to mention Savard and Burnett.” They were both great players, and Charlie had gone up against those two enough times to know that Hilton’s strategy of overwhelming them in the first period would not work against Chelsea.
“Isn’t there a saying, ‘One game at a time’?” Pudge said. “We’ll worry about Chelsea after we’ve won the first two.”
Charlie tilted his head to one side and cuffed Pudge on the helmet. “Wise words, Sergeant. Let’s kick some Winona butt.”
“Right behind you, Major,” Pudge said.
Charlie walked out and down the corridor to the ice. Despite Pudge’s good advice, Charlie couldn’t get Chelsea out of his mind. It was yet another giant roadblock placed in front of them.
He hopped onto the ice and immediately raced across the blue line. The ice was hard and his skates made a loud scraping sound as he curved towards the back boards. He continued behind the net and then stopped at the bench for a quick sip of water.
Scott and Nick had stationed themselves by the boards next to the Terrence Falls bench.
“Terrence Falls?” Scott screamed.
“Yes!” a bunch of students screamed back.
The students were on their feet chanting Scott’s ridiculous cheer. Charlie’s heart pounded. Everything had seemed so dark when Principal Holmes had announced the school closing. It had gotten darker when the fundraising was going nowhere, and seemed completely doomed when the bus was hit by the mudslide. And now the whole school was behind the team.
Julia stopped beside him and reached for her water bottle.
“Is Charlie Joyce ready to play?”
“After the bus accident, this’ll be a piece of cake,” he said.
But he knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all.
24
HIGH HOPES
Charlie wheeled with the puck in his own end looking for an opening. Hilton had put him with Julia and Trisha. The second line was Emily at centre flanked by Sandra and Sophie. Pudge, Li and Michelle were on defence. The game had barely started and Charlie’s legs were still tight. It felt good to skate hard.
Julia cut across the slot, taking Charlie’s place as centre. It was a quick, short pass and she would get out of their end no problem. He was on the verge of passing when he noticed Trisha barrelling across the red line, angled slightly towards Winona’s end. He didn’t hesitate. Hilton had told them to go for it, so he rifled a pass about ten centimetres off the ice up the middle.
The defencemen were caught watching. The puck went right between them and onto Trisha’s stick. She had to spin quickly to stay onside, but once over the blue line she took a direct line at the goalie, feinting right, then left, before shifting right to the glove side and shoving the puck past the outstretched goalie pad.
The game was barely thirty seconds old, and they had scored. Talk about listening to your coach! Charlie leapt up and punched the air. He skated over to Julia and slapped her back. “Terrence Falls? Yes!” he shouted.
Julia smiled back. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” she chanted.
He tapped her on the shin pads and headed to congratulate Trisha, who was slapping gloves at their bench. She skidded to a stop in front of him and tapped his shin pads with her stick. “I knew you’d see me. I told you we’d be unstoppable together.” Her eyes were blazing with energy. “It’s your turn next, and then Julia, and this game is ours.”
She sure came to play, he thought. He tapped her shin pads and set up for the faceoff.
Trisha lined up on the right wing. He nodded to her and flicked his head towards the boards. She nodded back almost imperceptibly. The ref dropped the puck and C
harlie whacked it with a forehand. Trisha anticipated him winning the faceoff and had left the circle early. She gathered the puck against the wall and scooted up the wing, the Winona defenceman backing up nervously. Charlie followed up the middle, flanked by Julia on the left.
At the blue line, he swerved behind her. Trisha faked an inside move, which made the defenceman take one step that way, and then she bounced it outside. Charlie thought she might get around the corner, but at the hash marks she slowed and banked the puck off the wall back to the blue line.
It was a perfect pass. Charlie took it on his backhand, and cut hard on the outside edge of his left skate. Julia meanwhile had not slowed at all and had beaten the right defenceman to the net. He took two steps forward and wristed a hard pass towards the far post. Fortunately, the goalie had stayed back in her crease. Julia threw herself at the puck fearlessly, storming across the front of the net and then backhanding it over the goalie’s shoulder and in.
Charlie punched the air for the second time. The game plan was most definitely working. Julia curled in Winona’s end, stick over her head, and she headed to Charlie. He put his arm around her shoulder.
“Terrence Falls?” he said.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she shouted again.
Trisha came over and threw her arms around them both. “Like taking candy from a baby,” she said. “We should have time for another one this shift.”
Hilton had another idea, however. Emily’s line was waiting at centre.
“Hold that thought,” Charlie said. The three linemates headed to the bench. Emily held her glove up and they all gave her a high five.
Charlie took a seat on the bench and reached for some water.
“Joyce. Do something. You’re letting the girls do all the hard work.”
Charlie recognized Scott’s voice. Then his cheer began again.
The place was an absolute madhouse. Charlie had never played in a game with such a wild atmosphere. It sounded like a pro game. The crowd kept it up practically the entire time — and so did the TFH players. It was 5–0 after the end of the first, and 9–0 after the second. There were eight minutes left in the third period, and Emily had just scored to make it 12–0.
Hilton stopped Charlie’s line before they went out for the faceoff.
“I think you’ll agree that we’ve scored enough, and we’ll win all three periods. Let’s not score again unless you absolutely have to,” he said.
Charlie had expected that. His coach hated his players showing off, and now that they had the four points wrapped up, there was no need to keep pressing.
Trisha followed him out. “I don’t agree,” she said to him as they drifted to the faceoff. Trisha had never played for Hilton, and, as she had said herself in the dressing room — and shown during the game — she was ultra-competitive and never let up. “Winning the tournament could come down to most goals if there’s a tie for points, and other teams will kill these guys too.”
It occurred to him that Trisha might have a point. But there was no way he would disobey a direct order from his coach, at least not a coach like Hilton.
“If we win all three games, we won’t have to worry about goals,” Charlie said. “It’s 12–0. I’m feeling guilty already. I think we should ease up.”
Trisha bit her lower lip, and then her face lit up with a smile. “Okay, Charlie Joyce. We’ll do it your way.” She tapped his shin pads and took her spot at right wing.
The ref blew her whistle and glared at him. “Come on, number eight. Line it up.”
Charlie rushed over, and the ref dropped it before he got his stick down.
“What’s with that?” he said.
“Play the game,” the ref said.
Charlie gave his head a shake and watched Trisha pressure the left defenceman, although she didn’t go in too hard. The puck moved to the centre, and he set off up ice. Charlie could have stripped him of the puck, but he let him cross the red line and fire it deep into Terrence Falls’ end. Cassie had not had much action, and she came out to trap the puck behind the net, leaving it there for Michelle.
The Winona left winger skated at her. Michelle waited until she had committed herself and then took the puck out the other side. For a second Charlie was tempted to goal suck and look for the stretch pass. Trisha was hovering at the red line too, obviously with the same idea. Julia had hustled back, and Michelle passed to her.
Charlie immediately felt ashamed. Not ten seconds after telling Trisha to back off, there he was, looking to score. Julia was the only one who had listened. He skated back and branched off near the blue line. Julia snapped a pass over. Trisha had come across and Charlie gave it to her near the red line. Trisha took it over the line, and then lofted a lazy wrist shot on goal. Her forecheck was equally laid back, and Winona got the puck out easily this time.
The rest of the game followed the same pattern. Terrence Falls was too good to give up a goal, and under Hilton’s orders, not interested in scoring. Time after time they sent the puck spinning into Winona’s end content to defend and get the puck out. Cassie got a few more shots in the last minutes of the game.
It ended 12–0. At the buzzer, a dejected Winona team gathered around their net, in stark contrast to Terrence Falls. Stoked by the easy win, there were high-fives all around and lots of laughter.
“I admire you for controlling yourself and not scoring,” Charlie said to Trisha, as they headed to centre to shake hands.
She laughed. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you inching your way to centre looking for the breakaway.”
“I admit my natural instincts took over for a second.”
“I like your instincts,” she said.
The conversation felt a bit weird all of a sudden. For some reason he actually felt more relaxed around her when she was mean to him. Nice Trisha was hard to read. Now that he thought about it, it was a bit like how he felt around Julia sometimes.
Charlie finished shaking hands with the Winona players, and then curled slowly back to his bench. Zachary, Scott and Rebecca had come down to offer what Scott called “injury high-fives.” He spotted Nick and Matt in the stands talking to some kids from school. Hilton and Dalton were standing together, and Dalton was laughing at something their coach had said.
It was a nice scene — and if they could do this two more times, they’d get the money — and maybe save their school!
25
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
The puck hit a leg in front and bounced into the corner. Charlie raced to get it. He faked a move behind the net and whirled the other way along the board. Two Northern defenders pressured. Charlie slid it to Michelle at the point, who fired it without hesitation across the blue line to Pudge. That was dangerous, as the Northern centre extended his stick and just missed intercepting. As soon as Pudge had the puck, Charlie stormed the net for a rebound, arriving just as Pudge fired a slapshot. The front of the net was so congested the puck hit another leg and then banged off Julia’s skate — right to Charlie. He slapped at it, but so did a defenceman, and Charlie didn’t get much wood on it. The puck hit the goalie’s blocker and dropped to her right, about a metre and a half from the post.
“Get it, Trisha,” Charlie yelled.
Trisha lunged and knocked it to the corner, racing after it. Charlie gambled and went behind the net. If she lost it, they would both be out of the play. But it was 4–all, and less than a minute to play. They had won the first two periods, but Northern had come back to tie it up.
Trisha got the puck, hesitated a moment, and then sent it around the wall on her forehand. Charlie pressed against the boards to knock the puck down, and immediately took it out the far side, looking for an opportunity to pass.
Pudge came down low, but the right winger stayed with him. Julia was in front battling for position. There was a defenceman on her, and he was pushing her away. He was too big, and Charlie doubted she could get free. So he backed up with the puck on his forehand towards the wall. Pudge stopped abruptly an
d got back to the point. The right winger did not know whether she should pressure Charlie or stay with Pudge. Charlie took advantage and slid a pass to Pudge and then went a couple of metres backwards to the corner. Pudge one-timed a pass back to him. Charlie held it, drawing the right winger ever closer to him. He passed it to Pudge, and jumped past a Northern defenceman to get close to the net.
This time Pudge got the puck through. The athletic Northern goalie was equal to the challenge, and kicked it out with a right pad save. Again, the puck came to Charlie. A defenceman charged at him. He snapped a shot at the net, not really aiming, and not really seeing it.
PING!
The puck ricocheted off the post and into the corner. He watched the defenceman track the puck down and head up ice. No one bothered to stop her. There were only five seconds on the clock. She flicked it towards Terrence Falls’ end, and turned back to her net. The buzzer rang to end the game.
“That was brutal. A post?” Charlie said.
“Do you know what happens now?” Julia asked him.
He shook his head.
A referee skated by.
“Hey ref,” he called out. “Do we have overtime?”
She shook her head. “We go right to a shootout. I’ll explain it to your coach. Back to your benches, please.”
Charlie pushed off twice with his left skate and glided the rest of the way on his right.
“Almost had one there,” Pudge said to him.
“I rushed it,” Charlie said, a bit angry at himself. He’d had time, and did not have to one-time it. Dumb mistake. He’d had a good game, though: two goals and one assist. Trisha had potted a goal and had an assist, and Julia had gotten a goal and two assists.
“OMG,” Julia groaned at the bench. “I hate shootouts.”
“You’ll need to learn to love them, and quickly,” Hilton said. “It’s an NHL-style shootout — three shooters, and two have to be girls. Most goals wins. If it’s still tied after three shooters, it becomes sudden death.” In a louder voice he announced, “The first three shooters are Charlie, Trisha and Julia, in that order. The rest of you come to the bench.”