AJ sticks his head around the corner of the locker room and scans the room, after seeing what he wants and proceeds to walk into the room cautiously. Kevin stares at him oddly and shakes his head.

“What’s with the mission impossible get up?” Nick asks him as AJ takes a seat next to him.

“I’m looking for Bundy,” AJ says dropping his bag with his gear in it at his feet and sitting down.

“What happened?”

“Uhhhhhh,” AJ says, “I…well we, as in Fedoruk and I….”

“Don’t tell me,” Nick says, “You dumped water on him like you did to me and Williams?”

“Uh no,” AJ says, “We egged him.”

“Therein is gonna kill you.”

“Oh I know. Trust me I’m frightened right now,” AJ says pulling off his shirt and starting to get dressed for the game, “So how’s Williams taking it?”

“Taking what? I haven’t talked to him today.”

“You didn’t hear?” AJ looks at him.

“What?”

“He’s been scratched tonight.”

“What?” Nick says staring at him, “What did he get hurt?”

“No,” AJ says, “I was hoping you could tell me. Do you know if he has the flu or something?”

“I dunno,” Nick says, “Shit what the hell he’s doing great.”

AJ shrugs, “Barber has a habit of putting big goons on the ice who don’t deserve it because they have a big flashy name, but sit the people who deserve it.”

“This is so damned stupid,” Nick mutters tying his skate.”

“Brian is back in net though.”

“What about the new guy?”

“Brashear? He’s not playing.”

“What? Why?”

“His stuff didn’t get here,” AJ sighs, “There’s a lot of shit going down between the fans about this trade.”

“That’s cause it was stupid,” Nick mutters.

AJ shrugs, “I said the same thing, but you gotta give the guy a chance.”

“You going to the Phantoms/Flyers party at the skate zone?”

“Oh hell yeah,” AJ says, “Those are my boys on that team. I wouldn’t miss that party for the world.”

“We can bring our family right?”

“Yup, Christmas party basically.”

Nick nods.

“Oh hell,” AJ sighs.

“What?”

“That means I gotta deal with the little Richardsons.”

“So.”

“Nick they tied me to a pole last time.”

“You don’t way much more then the two of them put together.”

“Oh shut…up.”

“Damn Williams would have loved that game,” Fedoruk says walking back into the locker room after the game to Nick, “6-2 geez.”

The game had ended with the score 6-2 for the Flyers win over the St. Louis Blues, six goals on home ice. AJ had one, Gagne had one, Recchi, Roenick, Fedetenko and Marty Murray. Brian had to be happy with that win. Nick had gotten two assists during the game and he was happy enough with them. By the end of the third period it was obvious that the Flyers had clinched the win and AJ had lost all of his self-control. He had been skating around arguing with every Blues player around him and getting in two fights just in the last few minutes.

Nick stares at AJ as he jumps on Boosh’s back in the locker room and Boosh attempts to throw him off. It wasn’t working to say the least.

“Pictures!” Kevin yells walking into the locker room with a stack of pictures, “Team picture come and get them!” he yells handing them out to everyone.

“Hey Boosh is actually smiling,” AJ says looking down at the picture.

“Oh shutup,” Boosh says.

“I look horrible. My head is too small for my shoulders.”

“Well I’ve tried to tell you that before, but you never listen,” Boosh says to him.

“Oh leave me alone,” AJ says, “Tomorrow you’re getting a slap shot to the head in practice.”

Nick stares down at the picture and smiles. It was a good picture. Well he thought so at least.

“Everyone get ready for the next game it’s gonna be one of our last home games before the ten game road trip,” Kevin says handing the last photo to Fedetenko.

“We have a game the day after Christmas,” AJ says, “That’s so stupid. Do they actually think Washington will win? How about we just say we won and make it easy for both the teams.”

“Ten games on the road,” Brian says and then sighs, “God luck Boosh.”

Boosh looks at him oddly.

“Oh C’mon you’re gonna be the staring goalie in almost all of them,” Brian says, “Good luck with the Olympic team too,” he says picking up his bag and putting it over a shoulder, “You deserve it.”

“Thanks man,” Boosh says as Brian walks out of the room.

AJ shakes his head, “I never know if he’s happy or upset some times.”

“Do any of us,” Kevin sighs.

“Hmmm what is my favorite gift I ever received for Christmas?” AJ says chewing on a candy cane looking down at a questionnaire that Kevin had given each player after practice, “What was yours Mur?”

“Tickets to the Canadians game,” Marty Murray says.

AJ makes a face, “The Canadians. C’mon if you’re gonna pick a team from Canada at least pick the Leafs,” he says as he write down something on his paper.

“Favorite Christmas movie?” Nick reads off the paper.

“Hands down the claymation ones from the sixties with Rudolph,” AJ says.

“Oh c’mon Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase,” LeClaire says.

“Maybeeee,” AJ says.

“The Grinch,” Recchi says, “The cartoon not the new one.”

“Hey hey hey you’re forgetting Scrooged,” Jeremy says.

“Oh yeah,” AJ says.

“C’mon Home Alone,” Recchi says

“Miracle on 34th Street,” Primeau says as the others stare at him, “What?”

“Sometimes I think you need more help then I do,” AJ says to him standing up and walking out into the hallway to talk to the press and Jeremy walks out after him. AJ walks back in a few minutes later covered with whip cream.

“What happened to you?” Brian asks.

“Where is JR?”

Nick shrugs.

“He just pied me in front of the cameras. This means war,” AJ says wiping the whip cream from his face, “I will get justice,” he says walking into the bathroom to wash his face off.

“Favorite Christmas candy?” Fedetenko reads from the paper.

“Green and red candy canes,” Justin says out loud as he writes it down as Nick stares at him.

“Are you always that predictable?”

“Haha,” Justin says.

Brian smiles as he watches from the side of the rink as Kevin takes out his camera again and starts clicking away as his kids start skating around the rink at the Flyers/Phantoms party. Brian had forgotten how many of the guys had kids until tonight when he walked in and saw of them skating around the rink with their parents. Desjardins was skating around with his young son who was dressed in full hockey gear complete with a Flyers jersey that had Desjardins on the back. Cameras were clicking off all over the place from the parents.

AJ was off to the side with a bunch of Phantoms players and a few of the Flyer guys. Barber was skating around with his own kids and like most of the other players made his kids stop and pose with the Phantoms mascot. Brain had forgotten how normal most of the guys were outside of the rink, as sad as it sounds. Even AJ seemed to be oddly self-controlled tonight as he skated around the rink and talked with his old teammates. He has also brought a short girl with him who was sitting on one of the side of the rink near a bench talking to him and the rest of the guys.

Nick and Justin were skating around the rink playing a makeshift game of tag with Bruno St. Jacques and Marty Murray. The last thing Brian saw out of the corner of his eye was Nick wiping out and sliding into a far off wall with a loud thud as the other three cracked up. Kevin was skating around the rink after his twins Ethan and Isabella wearing a Santa hat. It always amazed Brian how much the holidays seemed to bring out the best in people.

“Bri,” Boosh says skating up, “Watch JR,” he says as he points across the ice as JR skates over behind AJ and wraps his arm around AJ’s head and nails him in the face with a pie.

“You…you crap weasel,” AJ yells after him wiping the whip cream out of his face, “I would of said worse, but little children are present,” he says as JR skates away cracking up.

“Bri!” Nick yells from the other side of the rink, “C’mon we need another player,” he says.

“What are you playing?” Brian asks.

“Kill the man with the ball,” Justin says.

“That’s a game?” Brian asks skating up to them.

“Yeah…you see whoever gets the ball you have to tackle,” Bruno says.

“Well who would want the ball?”

“Good question…but it’s still a fun game,” Justin says.

“C’mon,” Nick says.

“Alright,” Brian sighs.

“Ok give me a head start,” Justin says holding a dodge ball in his hands and then skating off.

“Alright long enough,” Nick says and takes off after him with the others.

“Hey be careful…mind the skate blades,” Kevin yells at them as Nick grabs Justin by the waist and they both crash onto the ice.

“Yes dad,” they all yell.

Online Journal:

Hey everybodyyyyyy. Well it’s me AJ again. I’m gonna talk now because I know I’ll forget about it after the last game before the break and the road trip is gonna be hell. Anyway did everybody watch our great game tonight? C’mon we won over the Dallas Stars 2-1. You had to watch it alone for the stupid calls. Roughing? On Boosh? He hit a guy who crashed into him, no he didn’t even hit he shoved a guy lightly with his stick hand. That is comedy. The guys having a bad enough time today since he found out he didn’t make the Olympic team which total bull. Dunham! Frickin Dunham over him! The only reason he made it was because he was offered it early. And there is Barrasso. Greatttt I’m stuck on a team with a guy I hate. Awesome goaltender, but he’s still a major pain in my…well you know. I think I’ll just keep to myself and talk to JR, LeClaire and Kevin once and a while. What kind of nitwits made up this roster? Ahhhhh well I stop complaining…for now.

I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa/ whatever else there is to celebrate and a happy New Year. Did everyone see our wonderful greetings on Comcast? I about died when I saw Boosh’s. Now he looks pissed off. Weinrich is wearing a Santa hat to cover up his baldhead I’m telling you. Oh yeah there also seems to be a flu epidemic in our locker room, now Kent Manderville has it. I think half the team has had it so far. Oh yeah another thing…why was Willy scratched yet again? There is no reason for it. Pisses me off I’m telling you.

Oh yeah I finished answering the questions you all sent me, so they should be up soon. I can’t answer all of the though. They are only posting a few, but I’m trying to answer them all personally. They would be up now, but they put up the question and answers for the holiday questions. I was hoping to have them up today, but they said they didn’t have enough time. Rightttttt. Well that’s coming from the guy who spent three hours watching the Lord of the Rings movie and then was extremely pissed off by the ending. See now I gotta go read the books. I think it’s all a big conspiracy by the book makers to get you to go read the books…well it’s working isn’t it?

Well I better go. I still have to finish wrapping Christmas presents for everyone.

Remember happy holidays and happy New Year.

P.S Yeah I know I always write the words to the song that I listen to while I write this, but well it’s an embarrassing song. God only knows why I’m listening to it. Wait no I know…stupid guilty pleasures.

“Remember guys the deal was nothing big,” Kevin says digging into a large GAP bag with presents in it.

“Yeah yeah yeah we got ya,” AJ says walking around the locker room with a bag as big as Kevin’s handing out presents.

“Hey AJ catch,” Jeremy yells tossing a small box at him.

“CD,” AJ says catching it and then tearing it open, “Oh sweet Frank Sinatra songs?”

“They’re covers of a bunch of them by Robbie Williams,” Jeremy says.

“Oh sweet,” AJ says tearing it open, “Oh Justin,” he says tossing a bag at Justin.

“Thanks AJ,” Justin says and then begins to look through the bag and pulls out a large bottle of vitamins from GNC.

Nick looks over and cracks up as Justin stares at AJ.

“Oh open the bottle and stop pouting,” AJ says.

Justin stares at him and then twists off the top and pulls out two slips of paper, “Linkin Park tickets. This is great AJ.”

“Yes I know I’m the best,” AJ says walking over to the trainer’s room with his CD and puts it on in the CD player Kevin usually uses and “Mack the Knife” begins to play.

“AJ get over here boy,” Recchi says as AJ walks up to him, “Merry Christmas man,” he says and hands him a bag.

“Recs,” Kevin yells from the corner, “Get over here man.”

Brian takes a seat next to Boosh, “That was a very moving speech you gave to the fans.”

“I sounded like a Hallmark card gone horribly wrong,” Boosh smiles.

“Yeah I know,” Brian smiles, “You were so enthusiastic too.”

“Shut up man,” Boosh says.

“I…I…just wanna say uh merry Christmas and and…”Brian imitates.

“Oh leave me alone,” Boosh says.

“Someone’s sneaking round the corner. Could that be our boy Mack the Knife? From a tugboat down by the river don’t ya know? There’s a cement bag just dropping on down. Ooh that cement there it’s just there for the weight dear…” AJ sings walking through the room and back into the trainer’s room again.

Brian elbows Boosh and points to AJ as he dances back into the room still singing along to the song with two pies, one in each of his hands.

“Oh boy,” Boosh smiles.

“Now Jenny Diver. Whoa Sukey Tawdry. Look out Miss Lotte Lenia. And old Lucy Brown. Yes the line forms on the right babe. Now that Mackie’ssss,” AJ sings along to the song walking up behind Jeremy Roenick, “Back in townnnnn,” he says and then nails JR on both sides of his face then runs off.

“Now that was perfectly timed,” LeClaire says and begins to laugh as “Something Stupid” begins to play.

“Oh the kid is going down now,” Roenick says wiping the whip cream off of his face with his hands and shirt, “Fridge were you in on this?”

“Me?” Fedoruk says, “Nahhhh,” he smiles as he walks into the trainer’s room and begins flipping through the songs until he reaches, “It Was A Very Good Year”.

“When I was 17,” Kevin sings “It was a very good year. It was a very good year for small town girls and soft summer nights. We’d hide from the lights on the village green when I was 17. ”

“When I was 21,” Recchi sings, “It was a very good year. It was a very good year for city girls who lived up the stairs. With all that perfumed hair and it came undone when I was 21.”

“When I was 35,” AJ sings reappearing through the locker room door, “It was a very good year. It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls of independent means. We’d ride in limousines. Their chuffers would drive when I was 35. But now the days a short. I’m in the autumn of the year and now I think of my life as vintage wine from fine older kegs. From the brim to the dregs it poured sweet and clear. It was a very good year.”

Brian stares at the guys and smiles leave it for the Flyers to come together over a song by Frank Sinatra.

“Well guys I really gotta be getting back home, “Kevin says standing up, “Merry Christmas to you all and happy New Year. I’ll call you all about the party ok.”

“See ya Kev,” Roenick yells licking the whip cream off his fingers.

“I should be getting along too,” Recchi says.

“Yeah,” LeClaire says.

“I’ll come too guys,” Primeau says.

One by one they al left taking their gear and gifts with them. Of course Jeremy gave AJ a big hug rubbing some whip cream into his hair before he left. AJ stares from his stool as they all leave and finally even Brian leaves smiling and waving at him before walking out of the locker room.

AJ stares at the empty locker room and sighs. It was a good game tonight, he thinks. An overtime win always seemed sweeter then any other win. He walks over to his locker picking up his gear as “One for my Baby” plays over the system. He moves his head along to the music and sings to himself softly walking back into the trainer’s room and taking his CD out, but continuing to sing.

“ It’s a quarter to three. There's no one in the place. Except you and me. So set 'em' up Joe. I got a little story. I think you should know. We’re drinking my friend. To the end. Of a brief episode. Make it one for my baby. And one more for the road. I know the routine. Put another nickel. In the machine. I feel kind of bad. Can’t you make the music. Easy and sad. I could tell you a lot. But it's not. In a gentleman's code. Make it one for my baby. And one more for the road. You’d never know it. But buddy I'm a kind of poet. And I've got a lot of things. I’d like to say. And if I'm gloomy. Please listen to me. Till it's talked away. Well that's how it goes. And Joe I know you're gettin'. Anxious to close. Thanks for the cheer. I hope you didn't mind. My bending your ear. But this torch that I found. It’s gotta be drowned. Or it's gonna explode. Make it one for my baby. And one more for the road. The longgg. It’s so longgg. The longggggg. And winding road,” AJ says walking out of the locker room and switching off the lights.