Brian stares out at the crowd from his position in between the pipes taking a break from stretching. This was going to be a game that made or breaks him. Boosh had been benched following their collapse to the Coyotes. Now it was his turn to try and prove himself again. His performances so far had been good, but not as good as he needed to be to get the starting spot from Boosh. Barber had been telling everyone that everyone made mistakes and that last night would not affect the way he played Boosh…bullshit. Brian knew better first hand. Barber had a way to suck the life out of goaltenders and players at times and Boosh was being drained now. Being a goaltender was hell sometimes and his game back in net just happened to be the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche.
Brian stares up at the score board hanging above their heads as he pulls his mask down over his face taking a big breath of air and swinging his goal stick from his right to his left hitting both pipes. He gets set into his starting position and watches as the players skate out onto the ice to their positions. The linesman skates over and drops the puck for the face off as the crowd roars…there were now words the even describe how he felt every time he saw the puck drop for the start of the game. The only thing he knew was he was going to need far more then luck to help him through this game.
Nick wipes his forehead with a towel and then wipes the inside of his shield clearing up the slight fog that had formed on it. The score was 4-2 in the third period of play. Four goals…four different players, AJ, Fedetenko, LeClaire, and Gagne. The champions had fallen and they had fallen hard. They had left a space open for the Flyers and they had surged through it trying to reclaim the victory they thought they should have gotten against the Coyotes the night before.
Nick watches has Fedoruk skates from across the ice and slams into an Avalanche player as the crowd roars with disapproval. It was a clean hit nonetheless. With the edition of Brashear Fedoruk had realized that he needed to step up his play. The team usually didn’t have room for two different enforcers on their team line up for games and Fedoruk realized knew that well enough from all his years playing the sport.
Of course just because a player was playing well didn’t seem to mean much now, Nick though. He loved his teammates like brothers, but he also wanted to win…badly. They were all good players, they had to be playing at this level, but against a team like the Avalanche he knew Williams deserved to be on the ice over Ranheim or Manderville. Barber was going to screw them all over. This time they were on top, but it didn’t always end up like that. And more then anything…anything in the whole world…a player hated being a healthy scratch.
God it must suck to be the back up goaltender, Nick thinks as he hops over the bench onto the ice for a shift.
Kevin looks around the locker room and shakes his head. After coming off a 5-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup champions. His team was on a natural high. The next game was the next night against the Vancouver Canucks on a New Years Eve match up that the Flyers had been playing for as long as Kevin could remember. Then after that they only had two more games until they could go home after a very long and tiring road trip.
The year of 2001 was drawing to a close and Kevin had seen good and bad occur in his team. But now more then ever he was proud to call them HIS team. With the best record in the NHL with wins in the month of December they were finally coming together. There were people going to the Olympics and the All Star game, even though the ballots had not been counted for the All Star game he knew they would make it. AJ was already being picked by people to win the award for rookie of the year in the league and Boosh even with his loss the night before was still the best goaltender in the league with over 3,000 write in votes for the All Star game.
Yeah, his team was doing pretty damn good even though he had players like AJ and Fedoruk who were running around singing Outkast’s “The Whole World”. But beggars couldn’t be choosers now could they?
AJ looks over his head and smiles as the Vancouver stadium seems to shake under the volume of the fans in the seats. This was the way hockey was meant to be played, fans screaming in their seats, mostly drunk probably, two teams fighting it out for the win, and above all else it was his type of game…a psychical one. Bodies were slamming into bodies all over the ice and for once the officials were letting them fight it out.
Brian was in net again and he was soaring on what seemed like a natural high almost. The score was tied 1-1 ever since the beginning of the first with a goal from Marty Murray to tie it up. Kevin was skating around like a mad man slamming players into the boards left and right using his height and weight to his advantage. Arguments were breaking out all over the ice between players and Fedoruk, like AJ himself, was taking advantage of all of the emotions running high using the time to show the thing they did best…fight.
The Canucks had already shown that this was going to be a long-standing rivalry after Fedoruk plowed his 245-pound body into a Canucks player slamming him into the boards. When the player didn’t come back to his feet the fight had broken out. And once again with a long-standing testament all it took from Fedoruk was one hook, this time a left, to send the player crashing to the ice. God AJ loved this sport.
AJ jumps over the bench with the score still tied 1-1 with Roenick and Gagne with around a minute left in regulation time. Over time was going to be coming. There was a last effort explosion of offense by the Flyers the three of them going flying down the ice taking shot after shot on the goalie for the Canucks. The clock was ticking down as time started to run out. The minute expired into seconds 4…3…GOALLLLLLLL. AJ takes a quick shot off a pass from Roenick with 2.8 seconds left in the game sending it flying over the shoulder of the goalie.
The Flyers win the New Years Eve game an hour after the ball drops in New York City signaling the start of 2002. Too bad they were in Vancouver, end the year with a win and start the New Year off with a win.
Brian smiles at the guys as AJ, Fedoruk, Fedetenko, Gagne, and Marty Murray run around beers in hand through the crowded club. Thank God the club had provided a driver for all of them, since it was painfully obvious that they needed a sober driver. Brian shakes his head at them as AJ attempts to, what resembled to be more accurate, drop Fedoruk with a headlock. The only thing that actually happened was AJ hanging about five inches off the ground as Fedoruk refused to budge. Yeah they defiantly needed a driver.
Brian shakes his head at them laughing to himself as he walks over to the bar taking a seat next to Nick who was sitting next to Justin as the two of them tried to supposedly out drink each other. Brian just saw two idiots who were going to have major hangovers the next day.
“Hey Bri,” Nick says as he takes a seat, “Great game man. You’re doing great. I told you you would.”
Brian nods as the bar tender hands him a beer.
“On the house,” the bartender says.
“Thanks,” Brian says taking a swing of it.
“I can take whatever you can,” Brian hears as he looks around Nick as Justin who is arguing with AJ.
“Listen kid you’re a light weight…” AJ says.
“What are you talking about I have like 30 pounds on you,” Justin says to him.
“In drinking you frenchie,” AJ says.
“Oh,” Justin says as Brian smirks. Justin was going to have one hell of a hang over the next morning.
“Ok shots then,” AJ says.
“Fine by me,” Justin says.
“You’re gonna die Justin,” Boosh says as he stands watching them with the rest of the Five.
“I can take it,” Justin says.
“Alright then kid,” AJ says as the bartender places two shots of the bar, “Drink it.”
Justin nods picking up his shot glass and drinks it down the same time as AJ. Justin held a pretty straight face, but Brian could see him twitch a little as the liquor burnt his throat.
“Alright. Alright. I’ll give you that one,” AJ says as the bar tender places two more shots on the bar, “These are a little harder…”
“Right. Right c’mon,” Justin says picking up the shot.
“Ok french it’s your call,” AJ says picking his up and drinking it quickly the same time as Justin.
That’s when Brian saw Justin almost force himself to swallow it grabbing his throat afterwards and screaming, “It burns,” over and over again. Nick who had somehow managed to remain quiet the whole time nursing his beer cracking up instantly sending beer spraying all over Justin.
“Get him some water,” Kevin says walking up to the bar as the bartender nods, “You ok Willy?” he asks looking at Williams doubled over the bar, “AJ what did you give him.”
“I honestly couldn’t tell you,” AJ smiles that quickly falls as Kevin walks over and picks him up over his shoulder, “No Kevin. No. Please!” he yells as Kevin walks through the club with AJ slung over his shoulder as the others follow close behind.
“Dun. Dun. Dun,” Roenick says standing up from his seat with LeClaire and Recchi, “Here it comes,” he says following Kevin.
Brian follows behind them.
“AJ what’s one of the rules of the team?” Kevin asks.
“Always clean up your mess,” AJ says.
“AJ.”
“Don’t get Williams drunk…but the kid is only gonna get himself drunk, so it doesn’t matter…right?”
Therein shakes his head no smirking at AJ as Kevin carries towards the DJ booth. Brian stops and watches as Therein and Kevin go up to the booth with AJ while AJ screams, “no Bundy no”. Kevin stops as they reach the booth saying something to the DJ as he stops the music and Therein cracks up.
“Here it comes,” Boosh says from behind Brian.
“I hate you all!” AJ yells into the mic pointing down at his teammates.
“Jump,” Fedoruk yells at him.
AJ stares at him giving him a “are you an idiot” look and then turns around to look at Therein and Kevin.
“Go on,” Kevin says.
AJ turns back around and faces the crowd, “I would just like to state this is a punishment…”
“Get on with it,” Therein says.
“Shut up Bundy,” AJ says and then clears his throat, “Ok,” he says, “God this is so STUPID!”
“Do it,” Therein says to him.
“Fine, but if this ends up in Sports Illustrated and I am mocked for the rest of my hockey career it is all your fault!”
“That’s ok with me, “Therein says, “It ok with you Kevin.”
“Yeah, you know I might need to seek penance, but I can live with it, “ Kevin says.
“You’re both going to hell,” AJ says as the two nod, “Alright here it goes,” he says clearing his throat, “ Can’t I sing NYSNC or some shit that’s just as bad…”
“DO IT,” Therein and Kevin yell.
“I feel pretty. Oh so pretty. Yes so pretty and witty and gay…” AJ sings from Westside story as his teammates cheer him on until he finishes the whole song.
“Natalie Wood would be honored,” Therein says to AJ as he walks away from the mic.
“Oh shut up,” AJ says as the DJ turns the music back up.
Justin smirks at him as AJ walks back over to the bar and Brian couldn’t help but crack a smile as Justin starts singing along to the song “Bombs Over Baghdad” by Outkast bouncing his head along to the beat.
If the new year was going to be anything like the old Brian was positive they would all need some kind of psychiatric help sooner or later…and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You made me sing Westside story songs,” AJ says not taking his eyes off the ice as the first period begins in the game against the San Jose sharks.
“That’s what you get,” Kevin shrugs.
“The rule says don’t get Williams drunk,” Recchi adds.
“Oh he gets himself drunk enough and he’s only 20,” AJ says.
“Exactly so why were you giving him liquor?” Fedoruk says.
“Oh shut up Fridge,” AJ says as Williams is turned head over heels in a play. AJ looks to the officials for a foul as play continues.
“This is not going to be a good game,” Boosh says from behind him, “I can just feel it.”
Not being a good game was an understatement, a major one. It was one thing to let the players be physical, but what was happening on the ice was fucking ridicules and even AJ knew it. Players were going down all over on both teams from illegal hits, slashes, trips and nothing was being called. Argument after argument ensued and after each big hit there would be a sudden congregation of players from both teams together as they pushed and shoved each other. With each minute that passed more and more anger seemed to build up between the teams.
By the second both team were tied 2-2 with the Flyers getting a goal from Marty Murray and a tying goal from Williams upon his return to the game. AJ could see it in Williams eyes that he was out to prove he didn’t want to be another healthy scratch and so far he was. He was skating his ass off flying around the rink being slammed into boards and ice in the process once getting tackled in front of the net and nothing being called.
By the third though it was the Sharks game. Goal after goal sneaks by Brian as he starts to get angry with himself. The team was crumbling and one of the major reasons that AJ knew were the facts the their players were dropping in this game. Gagne was already gone as a scratch with a sore shoulder and then Fedetenko sprained his wrist slamming it into the boards with a Shark player. Primeau was having problems with his hand after a play and it was painfully obvious that Kevin was hurting after an illegal trip from a Shark player that went uncalled.
“This isn’t hockey,” Williams says to AJ coming to the bench winded, “That is a fucking war zone out there.”
AJ nods and then looks over at their goal as the fifth goal gets by Brian, 5-2 in the Sharks favor and that was how it ended. Sharks had ensued a feeding frenzy on the Flyers and there was no way to come back from it.
This wasn’t hockey.
Brian looks up and watches as Justin walks past him holding an ice bag on his hip. AJ was sitting next to him gently dabbing a cut on his forehead with a wet paper towel before applying a butterfly to it. Their team was beaten and bruised and they still remained one point behind the division leaders, the Rangers. Brian looks over at Boosh who is sitting talking to Kevin, who was icing his knee.
“Fucking hell,” AJ winces as he touches his cut.
“You ok?” Brian asks him.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” AJ says, “Nothing that I haven’t had before.”
“I should have stopped those goals,” Brian says.
AJ shrugs, “It was a dirty game. Two of them were from dumbass calls.”
“Boosh should have gone in for me later,” Brian says.
“Can’t say I don’t agree with you. Nothing to you personally or saying that he would have played better, but he deserves it. The man bails us out in the beginning of the season, plays amazing, becomes the first NHL player of the week, best goalie in the league and you know what we do?”
“We bench him for one mistake,” Brian sighs.
“No,” AJ says standing up, “We bench him on his birthday,” he says walking off towards Boosh and Kevin.
“It’s Boosh’s birthday?” Brian says looking at Nick.
Nick nods, “He hasn’t said a lot, but yeah.”
“Jesus I gotta get him something.”
“I don’t think he really cares now,” Nick sighs, “He just wanted to play ya know have another shot. He loves the game as much as we all do if not more.”
Brian nods.
“That’s all that counts sometimes you know,” Nick says, “If you don’t have heart it’s not worth playing.”
“Our team has heart,” Brian says.
Nick smiles, “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Frenchie!” AJ yells as Williams walks by.
Williams smirks at him and flips him off before walking to the showers.
“Well we have heart or insanity,” Brian says.
“Nah,” Nick smiles, “We have both…maybe more of the latter though.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” Fedoruk says looking at them.
