Game One:
“LOOK OUT” Nick yells across the ice as a Leafs’ defensemen goes to submarine AJ.
AJ looks over quick enough to see the final split seconds before he is turned head over heels in the air and lands on the ice with a smack as his helmet hits hard and his head bounces back up.
Nick stares at AJ laying stretched out on the ice motionless as Kevin skates up to him from his defensive position and play is stopped. Nick drops his stick on the ice and skates over to where Kevin is kneeling by AJ on the ice.
“AJ. AJ, c’mon buddy,” Jeremy Roenick says as he looks down at AJ as the paramedics rush out onto the ice.
The First Union Center and gone eerily quiet as the play of the first play off game between Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Philadelphia Flyers is stopped. Barber was looking hard at the ice as his star player lay sprawled out on his side. Luke Richardson and Brian Boucher come up from their places in the Flyers end to the Flyers bench. A murmur went through the crowd rippling over the rows of seats as a stretcher is rolled out onto the ice and AJ is lifted onto it. Kevin skates beside the stretcher until they reach the solid floor and he looks on as it disappears around a corner. He looks back over his shoulder as the Leaf player skates past him looking down at the ice
“Get back to the bench!” Kev yells at his teammates on the ice as he skates over to the Flyers bench.
“Fuck,” Williams mutters from his seat next to Brian Littrell on the bench.
Brian looks at him and then back at the ice before swallowing a lump in his throat.
“That was illegal,” Fedoruk says looking over at Kevin as he approaches the bench.
“Cool down now Fridge,” Kevin says to him, “We’ll get them for it later. It’s only the middle of the second now. Let us get a goal before you do anything first ok.”
Todd nods.
“Trust me if you don’t do it later I will,” Kevin says looking at him.
“What do we do now?” Nick asks meekly.
“We need to focus again,” Kevin says not even believing his own words, “We need to do something guys. You know AJ will kick our asses if we don’t win this game for him.”
Ruslan looks up at him and nods.
“C’mon guys he’ll be fine,” Kevin says, “Now we need to try and get a goal. We need to win this game. AJ will be fine. He’ll be back on the ice tomorrow. You know AJ,” he says taking a seat on the bench as Desjardins goes out on the ice to take his place.
Brian looks over at his cousin with large worried eyes as the players take their positions again, “Was…was he conscious?”
Kevin nods as Nick looks at him from his seat next to him.
Kevin was a bad liar.
The Flyers would go on to win the first game of the playoff series 2-1 with goals scored by Nick and Jeremy Roenick.
Flyers lead the series 1-0 over the Leafs.
“You have to sit the series out AJ,” the trainer says looking at AJ as he sits on one of the trainer’s tables.
AJ shakes his head no.
“AJ you have a concussion you can not play,” the trainer says forcefully.
AJ shakes his head no again.
“And what about your ribs?”
“They’re fine,” AJ says as he breathes in deeply and he feels the familiar pain in his ribs.
“You can’t play with bruised ribs AJ. What do you want to do break them?”
“I want to play.”
“AJ, you just suffered your third concussion. Don’t turn into another Eric Lindros. If you play this up coming game and get hit again, even a little, you can be out for the rest for the rest of the season. Do you understand no Cup game?”
AJ looks down at his hand as he clutches them in his lap.
“AJ…”
“I’m playing,” AJ says quickly before the trainer lets out a sigh.
“Fine,” he says before walking out of the room and into the players’ locker room.
AJ looks down at the floor and sighs before wincing. Note to self sighing is a bad idea, AJ thinks as his bruised ribs protest.
“Hurt that bad?” a voice asks and AJ looks up to see Kevin standing in the doorway.
AJ looks at him, “Did he send you in to talk to me?”
Kevin shrugs, “Partly yes partly no.”
“I’m playing,” AJ says.
Kevin shakes his head, “I’ll make sure you don’t go in then and don’t make me do that to you.”
AJ looks at him, “You can’t do that to me,” he says as his eyes narrow.
“AJ you can NOT play,” Kevin stresses.
“You can’t do that to me Kevin,” AJ says panicking, “You don’t know what telling me I cant’ play means. That is like telling me I can’t breath. I HAVE to play.”
“AJ lift your shirt,” Kevin says folding his arms across his chest.
“What?” AJ stares at him blankly.
“Lift up your shirt AJ,” Kevin says staring at him.
AJ stares at him hard before lifting up his shirt up and wincing slightly as he pulls it up over his head.
Kevin looks at him and shakes his head before holding up and mirror and showing AJ his own bruised chest, as the right side is an off purple color, “You’re a small guy AJ. Look at yourself. You can’t play like that and a concussion on top of it. If you prove you’re better later you can play, but until then you are out for this series.”
AJ stares at his ribs in the mirror before frowning.
“If I find a way to get you to sit near the bench each time we play will you agree?”
AJ stares at him and nods slowly.
Kevin nods putting the mirror down, “Thank you AJ. We need you later you gotta understand that.”
AJ nods, “I know. I know.”
Game Two:
Nick looks over at AJ as he sits in the first row dressed in a nice suit behind the Flyers bench, “You look like a tool,” he says to AJ smiling.
“Hey now,” AJ snaps before running a hand through his newly dies orange, black and white tips of his hair, “At least my tie matches,” he says as he looks down at his black tie that is covered in small Flyers logos.
“Tool,” Nick says to before turning around to face the ice for the start of the game.
AJ smiles at him and it soon fades away as the Maple Leafs take the ice, “Bastards,” AJ mutters to himself before realizing he is sitting in the Leafs’ stadium surround by the Leafs’ fans.
Kevin looks over his shoulder at him and shakes his head.
AJ shrugs, “And so it begins.”
AJ looks out over the ice during the first as the game starts to pick up. Nick takes his position on the Williams and Roenick lining filling in the blank spot. Hey maybe he could get another goal out of this situation. Boucher was once again in net for the Flyers. Barber liked to go with the hot goaltenders and currently that was Boosh. There was no doubt in AJ’s mind though that if he messed up once that Brian would be put back in. It was a hard life being a goalie. AJ was just glad he was a front line man. AJ wanted to be in the game though. He hated sitting on the sidelines. He hated knowing that his team was going to take the ice without him. He hated knowing that people were coming in and taking his position he fought for for so long. Most of all he hated not being able to take some aggression out on the Leafs.
The game didn’t pick up till the middle of the second though. Kevin decided to take matters into his own hands. And in the Kevin sense that meant that he leveled a guy into the boards and the guy did not get up in return. This sent the Leafs players and fans into an uproar. It was a legal hit though, but that didn’t stop Leaf players from coming at Kevin. Fedoruk and Luke Richardson stepped in to calm the spectacle down. Imaging Todd Fedoruk calming a situation down. From then on the game turned into a play off game, fast paced and a lot of checking, regardless though the second went without a goal.
“This is turning into a vicious cycle guys,” AJ says over the glass to his teammates, “You know it might be nice to score in a period other then the third.”
Nick looks up at him and smiles, “That wouldn’t be our style then.”
AJ rolls his eyes before sitting back down into his seat and folding his arms across his chest, “Well then will someone at least hit Domi for me.”
Kevin looks over his shoulder as the third begins head shakes his head. Yeah that was AJ. The Leafs would score the first goal though as the Flyers defense had another break down in front of their own net. Now that was becoming a vicious cycle. Kevin could hear AJ yelling for them to stop being phlegmatic from his seat as Nick asked if he even knew what that meant. The next thing Kevin heard was AJ threatening to hit him then saying Nick couldn’t hit him back because he was a cripple. Then Fedoruk dropped the gloves with Domi. One punch. Two punches. Left hook. Domi was on the ice. Now that was a way to start a come back and it would have been good except the Flyers didn’t score a goal during the third either.
Leafs and Flyers were tied in the series 1-1.
Game Three:
“Somebody else round everyone else. Watching your back like you can’t relax. You’re trying to be cool. You look like a fool to me. Tell me. Why’d you have to go and make things so complicated? I see the way you act like somebody else gets me frustrated. Life’s like this. You fall and you crawl. And you take what you get and you turn it into honesty and promise me I’m never gonna find you fake it…” AJ sings walking around the Flyers locker room in a high-pitched voice as Nick stares at him.
“Tell me again how you are injured?” Nick asks as he ties his skate
“No. No. No…” AJ sings at him before walking down to where Kevin is, “Cheer up what you yelling for. Lay back it’s all been done before and if you could only let t be you could see…” AJ sings.
“You are the BIGGEST tool AJ,” Fedoruk looks at him.
AJ smiles brightly at him before walking into the trainer’s room still singing.
“At least he is still in the locker room,” Ruslan says.
“This coming from the one who tried to kill my bobble head,” JR says to him.
Ruslan makes a face at him before going back to tying his skates.
“We need to focus guys,” Kevin says taking charge of his team as the others look at him, “We need to make up for what we are lacking with AJ gone. That means speed and drive. AJ went after everything. Williams I’m hoping you can pick it up there. You’ve got the speed and so goes Gags,” he says looking at Gagne who nods, “If we win this game we get two more closer to winning this series. Lets not go to seven again here.”
“People they come together. People they fall apart. No one can stop us now. Cause we are all made of stars…” AJ sings walking back in the room as the others look at him.
“And AJ will be our entertainment,” Kevin says.
“YES,” AJ says, “Club AJ and JR is open for business,” he says high fiving JR, “Bring back the disco ball and lights in here.”
“Let’s get to winning first,” Kevin says shaking his head at him.
The Flyers would go on to win the game in the beginning of overtime. Both teams would go in scoreless and Justin Williams would score the winning goal to the pleasure of the First Union crowd.
Flyers lead the series 2-1.
Game Four:
“It’s getting hot in here…” Nick sings.
“So take off all your clothes…” Justin sings beside him.
“I am getting so hot…” Nick sings.
“I’m gonna take my clothes off…” Justin sings.
Kevin looks down at them from his seta on the bench, “Hey, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum please be quiet.”
“Whose who?” Nick asks as Kevin shakes his head at them.
“I’m Dee,” Justin says,
“No don’t think so,” Nick says.
“No I’m defiantly Dee,” Justin says.
“Just you are in no way Dee. I am Dee,” Nick says.
“You’re both idiots now be quiet,” Todd says to them as the two stare at him.
“Touchy touchy,” Nick says.
“You’re gonna get beat,” Justin says.
Nick goes to say something to him, but stops as Gagne scores the second Flyer goal in the middle of the third compared to the Leaf’s one goal.
“YEAH GAGS!” Kevin yells from his place on the bench, “That’s what we gotta do! We’re halfway there!”
“Livin on a prayer. Take my hand we’ll make it I swear. Ohhh. Ohhh. Livin on a prayer,” Nick says as Kevin stares at him, “What? You said we were halfway there?”
“I’m surrounded by idiots,” Kevin says shaking his head and looking back at the ice as Justin Williams cracks up.
Luke Richardson looks at him and stifles a laugh, “Separated at birth I’m telling you.”
“Who?” Kevin asks.
“Willy and Nicky.”
“And we got both of them,” Kevin sighs.
“Hey someone has to annoy you with AJ gone,” Luke smiles.
“What’s that I heard my name?” AJ says from his seta behind the bench as Boucher goes down and makes a save on a Leaf player throwing himself across the ice.
“Nothin AJ,” Kevin says looking at him.
AJ nods, “Talking behind my back. Some captain you are,” AJ says to him before leaning back in his seat.
“I love our team,” Luke says smiling.
Flyers would go on to win the game 2-1.
Flyers lead the series 3-1. One more game from advancing.
Game Five:
“We let it slip,” Kevin says as the team files back into the locker room at the end of the game, “We let it slip,” he says again shaking his head walking back over to his locker.
The Flyers had lost game five 2-1 in overtime. The defense had once again gotten jumbled up and it resulted in the Leafs scoring on them as a man was left uncovered in the far right corner. One final slap shot and they were done. Boucher had no chance, but he still got angry with himself and when the game was done he started to skate towards the Leafs bench. Nick came up to him though and pull him away from a fight back over towards the Flyers tunnel. They weren’t done, by no chance were they done, but they had a time to end it and they didn’t follow through. The story of the Flyers season.
“We got two more games to win it,” Ruslan says to them all.
Nick nods, “We do it in one though.”
“AJ is getting ready to come back,” Todd tells them.
Kevin shakes his head, “Not till this series is over.”
“He says he can do it.”
Kevin shakes his head no as he pulls his jersey over his head and strips down to his pads, “Trainer says he isn’t ready.”
Todd nods, “Ok.”
“He’d help, but we need later back at full strength.”
AJ walks in with his hands shoved in his pockets and sighs, “Press is on the way.”
“Ah hell,” Nick says.
“I’ll go first if you guys want,” Boucher says.
Kevin shakes his head no, “It’s ok I’ll go first.”
Boucher looks at him, “Isn’t it the twins birthday though?”
Kevin nods.
“Don’t worry I’ll take it,” Boosh says pulling his pads over his head and throwing them into his locker.
“Thanks Boosh,” Kevin says patting him on the back.
“Evil devil spawned children,” AJ says.
Kevin looks at him.
“What? They taped me to the wall,” AJ stresses, “and you let them.”
Kevin smiles slightly as he begins to get changed like the others.
“Daddy,” a small voice says as Ethan runs into the locker room dressed in a small Flyers jersey that read Richardson on the back with Kevin’s number on it.
“Hey little man,” Kevin says reaching down and picking him up, “Where’s your sister?”
“With mom.”
Kevin nods.
“Hey little Rich,” LeClaire says walking over and messing up his hair slightly before walking over to his locker.
“Hey Ethan whose the bets player in the league,” AJ asks.
“You?” Ethan says. “Damn straight,” AJ smiles walking off, “Your kids learn fast Kev.”
Flyers lead the series 3-2.
Game Six:
“…and they all act like they’re New Yorkers. In Torontoooo,” AJ sings as Brian Littrell looks over his shoulder at him.
“Feeling better?” Brian asks.
“Much thank you,” AJ says smiling “Can’t wait to come back.”
Brian nods, “We need you man.”
AJ shrugs, “You’re not doing bad without me.”
“Your presence is missed then,” Brian says.
“Oh I know,” AJ smirks as Brian turns back to face the ice.
It was nearing the end of the third and the score was tied 2-2. Roenick and Kevin had gotten the two Flyers goals and regardless of the fact they were tied Boucher was playing a good game. Bodies were hitting the ice and glass all over now though. The play was stepping up when both teams realized what was at stack for the Flyers a chance to move on in the playoffs for the Leafs a chance to survive to play the next game. AJ and Kevin could both be heard screaming orders at teammates trying to get something going. Nick had gotten away at one point, but he was tripped in the goal crease by a defender resulting in a power play not a goal. Nick got a second chance though as he took off down the ice with Williams and Roenick. The three cycled for a short period of time before the puck got passed to Williams and the puck was block by the Leaf goalie before rebounding. Nick made his move then skating in from the right side of the ice and diving to swat the puck in off the ice. Nick scored the third Flyer goal with one minute and forty-four second left in the game. The Leafs would go on to pull their goalie Cujo after Nick scored the goal trying to get something of their own. Nothing happened though and the Flyers would go on to win the game 3-2 taking the series win with them and advancing on to another round.
Nick got his game/series winning goal.
Flyers win the series 4-2 in game Six
“Carolina can you believe it,” AJ says taking a sip of his beer as Williams, Nick, Todd and Murray sit scattered around his living room.
Todd shakes his head, “Who woulda thought.”
“Getting iffy on this series?” Nick asks AJ.
“I dunno what to expect,” AJ says, “I honestly don’t. I never would have picked them to have come this far.”
“On to the next series,” Nick says raising his bottle.
“Here here,” AJ says as he raises his and the others raise theirs, “Alright, who gave Willy the beer?”
“It’s uh apple juice,” Justin says.
AJ shakes his head, “It’s been a longggg season”
