“You think there will be any future side effects from consuming massive amounts of blue PowerAde?” AJ asks the guys in the locker room after they finish their practice before playing the Washington Capitals later that day.
“I think you’re safe AJ,” Kevin says walking by.
“How’s Bruno doing by the way?” Nick asks AJ.
AJ shrugs, “He’s upset because that foot injury is keeping him from coming up to play again. Other then that he’s good.”
“Day after Christmas and we already have a game,” Justin sighs walking up.
“Cheer up Willy at least you’re playing in this one,” AJ smiles.
Justin nods, “Yeah I know.”
“You’ll be fine don’t worry about it,” Kevin says patting him on the back and walking off to talk to Recchi and LeClaire.
AJ pulls on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt slipping on his shoes in the process.
“Where you gonna go?” Nick asks him.
“I gotta redye my tips,” AJ says running a hair through his hair, “The orange and white are fading I think.”
“Wait up I’ll come with you,” Nick says pulling on his shoes and tying them.
“So you’re both just gonna leave me?” Justin says looking at them.
“Do you want to come Williams?” AJ sighs.
“Well if I’m not gonna be appreciated,” Justin says folding his arms across his chest.
“Get up Williams,” AJ says grabbing his ear and pulling him up.
“Ok. Ok, I’m coming,” Justin says as AJ pulls him out of the locker room door.
Kevin looks over at AJ in the locker room and sighs. That guy had entirely too much energy. AJ was bouncing around on his skates half dressed in his equipment screaming out the words to the Foo Fighters “Monkey Wrench”.
“One last thing before I quit. I never wanted any more. Than I could fit into my head. I still remember every single word you said. And all the shit. That somehow came along with it. Still there's one thing that comforts me. Since I was always caged and now I'm free. Don’t want to be your monkey wrench. One more indecent accident. I’d rather leave than suffer this. I'll never be your monkey wrench… ”
It wouldn’t have been that bad if AJ had taken the time to sing in key, but since he was screaming and jumping around there was no saving it. Kevin admired AJ though just for the reason that he had so much heart in the sport and the team. It was hard to come across guys like that now a day in the sport. Havlac was up in Vancouver now with the Canucks and of course like most traded players he did not have fond things to say about the Flyers. According to him the Canucks were better players then the Flyers and he was also on first string now. Well there was only one thing Kevin could say to that. “We’ll see whose watching the play offs from the couch and who’s actually playing in them.”
“So it’s the Foo Fighters now AJ?” Recchi says.
“Oh hell yeah,” AJ smiles.
“Good choice,” Justin says.
“No all I gotta do is score a goal tonight,” AJ says pulling on his jersey.
“Victory is sweet,” Nick says.
“Yes it is,” AJ smiles and starts singing “Everlong”, “And I wonder. When I sing along with you. If everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again. The only thing I'll ever ask of you. You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when. She sang.”
“Is everybody dressed now?” Barber asks walking in.
“Yeah,” Kevin says as AJ struggles to pull his jersey over his head and Kevin reaches over and pulls it down for him.
“Thank you very much,” AJ says putting his helmet on his head, “C’mon Bri,” he yells, “It’s time to show the Capitals who’s the best.”
“Look at Rusty fly,” Kevin says to Nick as Ruslan takes off down the ice once again with the puck into the Capitals end.
“He’s really flying now,” AJ says.
Nick stares at the ice as Ruslan takes off down into the Capitals end carrying the puck and dodging around the defensive players. He had already gotten a goal and it was only the beginning of the first period so far. The score was 2-0 in favor of the Flyers with a goal from Fedetenko and McGillis, the first of the season for him.
By the end of the second AJ was in the penalty box yet again for fighting when he and Pete decided to drop the gloves. Of course Pete had only succeeded in hitting AJ’s back while AJ had hit him with a left hook sending him falling to the ice and somehow managing to pull his jersey completely off his body before the officials separated them. But also by the end of the second and the most important thing the Flyers were up 4-0. A goal for AJ and another goal from Fedetenko in the second had secured the win for the Flyers. Nick couldn’t tell if the Capital fans were booing them or their own team. He was betting it was their own team though.
“Wait Jagr is playing tonight?” AJ says with minutes left in the third, “You’re shitting me Recs.”
“Nope he’s rightttt there,” Recchi points to a player on the ice.
“Shit…what the hell happened to him. I mean at least he did stuff, somewhat, in the other games we played against him, well except for the one where he refused to come back on the ice, but damn he’s really gone down the hole hasn’t he.”
“That’s what happens when you get old,” Kevin says tossing his legs over the sides on the bench and heading out with Luke Richardson for the final defensive shift.
“Looks like Bri is going to get a shutout,” Justin says skating to the bench in sitting down.
“Yup,” Nick says going onto the ice as he comes off.
Four minutes left in the game though and the Capitals were pressing the Flyers to let in a goal. Luke Richardson wipes out on a mistake and turns over the puck to a Capital who passes it and sets up another player for a quick shot. 4-1, there goes Brian’s shutout.
The Flyers would go on to win it though with the final score not changing from the 4-1. As the team goes up to congratulate Brian on the win, like do after every game ends, Richardson skates up to Brian and looks down at him touching his helmet to the top of Brian’s goalie mask and says two words before skating off.
“I’m sorry.”
AJ smiles at Nick from across the aisle of the airplane an hour into their flight, “What ya playing?” he asks looking at Nick whose hunched over a Game Boy Advanced.
“Frogger,” Nick says not looking up.
Justin tries to look around Nick from where he is sitting in his window seat, “Gags,” he says trying to reach Gagne who is a few seats in front of them, “Gags. Gagne!” he yells as every turns around to face him, “Yeah…um…” he says before rambling off into French with Gagne.
AJ looks at Boosh who is sitting next to him and rolls his eyes, “Frenchies he sighs. Must they always talk in French?”
“Yes,” Nick says answering for Boosh not looking up from his game.
Boosh shrugs, “Guess so. Kevin slips in it a lot too. He was talking to Williams in it before in practice yesterday.”
“Kevin’s a frenchie?”
“He’s from Quebec AJ.”
“I didn’t know this,” AJ says shocked, “That means…”
“Brian is too.”
“Well you just don’t people like you used too,” AJ sighs.
“We’re second in the East cost Division with percentage of wins,” Kevin says from his seat loudly.
Justin says something loudly in French and Kevin turns around to face him from his seat next to Brian.
“Toronto Maple Leafs,” he says and shrugs.
“What he ask?” AJ asks.
“He asked who was in front of us,” Nick says not looking up.
AJ looks at him oddly.
“I was born in Ontario,” Nick says not looking up, “but at age seven we moved to Quebec.”
Boosh starts laughing as AJ stares at Nick.
“One more us,” Justin says looking over at AJ, “HA.”
“We’re a dieing race Boosh,” he says looking at him.
“Sad, but true.”
“Wait…Fedoruk.”
“Yeah,” Fedoruk says standing up and looking at him from his seat next to Fedetenko.
“How did your dad like the Cadillac?”
“Get this,” Fedoruk says, “I did everything perfectly. I got the Cadillac sent to his house while he was down here for Christmas and then I wrapped the little toy one and put it under the tree. I thought great I’m home free. I mean my dad always wanted one, so I everything is fine. Turns out he found out before hand. You know how all my money goes into the same bank account as my parents? Well I took such a large amount out my dad figured it out when he noticed the money was gone. Screwed myself over again,” he sighs sitting back down in his seat.
AJ shakes his head and smiles slightly singing, “Outside the carolers start to sing. I can’t describe the joy they bring. Cause joy is something they don’t bring me. My girlfriend is by my side. From the roof are hanging cicles of ice. Their whining voices get irritating. It’s Christmas time again. So I stand with a dead smile on my face wondering how much of my time they’ll waste. Oh God I hate these Satan helpers. And then I guess I must have snapped cause I grabbed a baseball bat and made them all run for shelter. It’s Christmas time again. It’s time to be nice to the people you can’t stand all year. I’m growing tired of all this Christmas cheer. You people scare me. Please stay away from my home. If you don’t want to get beat down just leave the presents and then leave me alone. Well I guess it’s not cool to freak on Christmas Eve cause the cops came and arrested me. They had an unfair advantage. And even though the jail didn’t have a tree Christmas came to me because a guy name Bubba unwrapped my package. It’s Christmas time again. It’s time to be nice to the people you can’t stand all year. I’m growing tired of all this Christmas cheer. You people scare me. Please stay away from my home. If you don’t want to get beat down just leave the presents and then leave me alone. I won’t be home. I won’t be home for Christmas. I won’t be home. I won’t be home for Christmas. I won’t be home. I won’t be home for Christmas. I won’t be home. I won’t be home for Christmas. I won’t be home. I won’t be home for Christmas.”
“Now that is an AJ song,” Roenick says turning around to look at AJ.
“Hell yeah,” AJ smirks, “Blink 182 always has the right words to say. You ready to go back to Phoenix JR?”
Jeremy nods, “What better way then on orange and black?”
“Can I get an Amen,” AJ says.
Kevin sits on the trainer’s table as he puts on his knee brace and puts some tape on it. AJ walks in and hops up on another table as the trainer comes over to tape his ankle for him.
“How’s the knee?” AJ asks Kev.
“It’s ok,” Kev shrugs, “It hurts like hell after I skate though.”
“You gonna hold up the rest of the season?”
“Yeah, I hope.”
AJ nods, “We’re second in the East man this is great.”
“Second in percentage of wins.”
“So what. In points we are only what a point behind the Rangers, right?”
Kevin nods, “In the Atlantic Division.”
“So we win this game and we’re set.”
“You think it’s gonna be that easy?”
“I dunno,” AJ sighs, “I hope. I just want my name on that cup you know and my day with it.”
Kevin nods “I’ve been playing for ten years now. We’ve made it to the playoffs every time, but no Stanley Cup. That’s what I really want before I have to stop all this. Just those few letters on the cup and a ring. You have a good amount of time in store for you AJ and if not with this team you will get the cup somehow.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re one of the best players I have ever seen regardless of age. You’ll go to all the Olympics in your career and probably all the All Star games.”
“You have done all them.”
“I know,” Kev says, “but I’m getting old and my knees are aging faster then the rest of me is.”
“You should coach…you know when you can’t play anymore.”
“Coach?”
“Yeah, you’d be a really good coach, better then Barber…I mean all these players are coaches now and some of them even say they prefer it over playing.”
Kevin stares at him, “That’s because they can’t play.”
“I CAN’T BELIVE THIS!” AJ yells skating in front of the Flyers bench yelling at anyone who will listen, “You’re fucking calls suck!” he yells down the ice to an official who didn’t hear him.
Nick stares at him as he skates back to a circle for a face off. Oh this was a horrible game. Midway through the second period and they were down 4-1. Boosh had had a hard game before getting pulled early in the second and Brian was once again in goal for them. Not only did Boosh have to suffer being scored on four times in a short time, but he was then pulled and couldn’t even sit with the team instead he had to sit in a tunnel and watch the game because of the small benches the Coyotes had.
This was not the type of homecoming Jeremy wanted coming back to his former teams. One goal from Recchi with 16 shots on Boosh and four going in. Nick wasn’t sure who was going to be more upset Roenick or Boosh. And the calls, oh God the calls were horrible. It had to be the worst refs in the league they had tonight. This was THE worst called game Nick had ever been in or seen for that matter. Oh God AJ was going to have a heart attack pretty soon it looked like too.
Nick looks up and then hops over the side of the bench onto the ice with Recchi and Murray. About a minute into the line change Nick takes off down the ice breaking past a defender and passing the puck back to Recchi. Recchi lets off a quick shot and it slips in past Burke. 4-2 with a whole third period left. Both goals now belonged to Mark Recchi. They could come back. As long as Brian stood like a wall.
And he did. Brian didn’t let any shots in on him keeping the Coyotes down with four goals. Of course he only had 8 shots in on him, but regardless of it even one goal could mean the end of the game for the Flyers. At one point McGillis had gotten the score up to 4-3, but as the play was reviewed the goal was taken back saying that Gagne’s stick, which had redirected the puck, was too high and was a high stick. AJ was too pissed off to even throw a fist instead he was yelling out things at the top of his lungs at the refs. Then he got ejected towards the end of the third after yelling at a ref for yet another bad call. He went storming off the ice skating backwards and continuing to yell.
Ending with a series of pushes, word exchanging and ill-tempered Flyer players the Coyotes took the win 4-2.
When the team returned to the locker room AJ was sitting in front of his locker already changed looking more pissed off then ever. Boosh walks by him glancing at him before walking to his locker and sitting down putting his face into his hands.
“I’m sorry guys,” Boosh says not even looking up, “I am so fucking sorry.”
The others look at him with a few mumbled “It’s ok” before returning to getting changed themselves. Brian stares at Boosh and walks over to him sitting down next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. He knew how it felt going out and having probably the worst game of your life and letting everyone down. It was probably the worst feeling in the world. The next game would be the next night against the Colorado Avalanche, the defending Stanley Cup champions. It was expected to be one of the hardest games for the Flyers and the real question now would be what goalie would be starting.
