Status: incomplete
Until Hell Freezes Over
A Series of Unsettling Events
The match up againist Calgary looked to us in favor, because even though we had just lost to Ottawa the Flames had just been owned by San Jose. Kaner scored in the second with an assist from Jon, Calgary responded by tying it later that period, then Ben Eager score with assists from Kopecky and I, and finally Duncan sealed the deal with an empty netter. Needless to say our high spirits coming into Vancouver were crushed when the Canucks out score us 5-1. Those Sedin twins were so hard to play againist and Luongo was just as hard to score on for me. Of course, all of them were going to the Olympics in a few short weeks so I got to see personally why they were going. Jon kept them honest by scoring a goal late in the third so at least they didn’t get to destroy both Huet and Niemi as well as receiving a shutout.
We won our next two road games againist Edmonton and San Jose. Jon, Dustin, Marian, and I all scoring in Edmonton. We follow that with a win in OT with a goal from Brouwer; who had 2 goals that night and Dustin scored again. I had 3 assists that night because no one else could get chains moving and get a good pass to someone near the net, I guess being small in the NHL has its advantages after all.
“Great game tonight, guys. You earned it.” Coach addressed us after the game that night. We had been celebrating amongst ourselves because it was difficult to pull wins together on the road and when we hadn’t had a home game since played the Blue Jackets two weeks earlier, “Let’s use this same momentum to carry us to victory againist Carolina on Saturday.” With that we were dismissed to finish changing and get back on to another plane by midnight. Jon and I watched a movie to pass the time because I couldn’t sleep during the flight.
“When we win the Stanley Cup and reporters ask me what my inspiration was guess what I am going to say.” I demanded after we had finished watching The Love Guru.
“Your totally amazing and extremely talented Captain: Jonathan Toews?” He joked, looking down at me with a strange curiosity in his eyes. I shook my head and laughed before answering,
“No, that wouldn’t go over too well. Actually I’m going to say that my inspiration was Daren Roanoke and the Love Guru.” Jon chuckled a little at that remark,
“You know I would’ve thought that you would say that Steve Yzerman was your inspiration.”
“Well, him too, but I would say that so that I could get a laugh out of the reporters. Jon, you should know by now that I love making people laugh.” I agreed, turning back to face him. My amusement was no longer matched in his eyes, in fact he was staring down with the most serious gaze he had ever look at me with.
“The Stanley Cup isn’t something to joke around about, even your inspiration for winning it or becoming a hockey player. It’s something that you take seriously and treat with respect.” Jon scolded me.
“I do take it seriously and respect it completely, otherwise you wouldn’t see me playing hockey at this level. Sometimes you have to learn when to sit back and enjoy the moment when it happens.” I whispered back to him, harshly, so that we wouldn’t disturb some of the guys, who were sleeping.
“Obviously, you don’t because you don’t count any losses againist your performance, you laugh off your penalties-“He began.
“No, Jonathan, I do count losses againist my performance but everyone has a different way of coping with them. I chose to laugh it off because I don’t want to go back to the way I was right after my dad died. I want to be positive because I know that one lose isn’t the end of the season for us.” With that I got up and went to go sit with Kaner because I was so pissed at Jon for doubting my respect for the sport that I would’ve punch him if I had stayed.
“Hey, Dillan, why aren’t you sittin’ with Tazer?” Kane inquired, sleepily after he woke up after noticing that someone had sat down next to him.
“No, Jon and I had an argument and I couldn’t take it anymore so I got up and came to you.” I explained, slouching in the seat so that my head couldn’t be seen from above it.
“What was you’re argument about?” He questioned further. I sighed and ran my fingers through my long blonde hair and the expanded up on my further statement.
“I see,” He stated after I was finished, “That’s low even for him. I just think that he ‘s tired from this recent road trip and will be fine once we get a home game in or two.” I just nodded and tried to doze off.
The next day I didn’t even speak to Jon even at practice and I roomed with Duncan that night. Our team looked so poorly put together when we played Carolina for some reason. I guess, the rest of the guys had heard from Kaner about the fight that Jon and I had the night before and didn’t know how to handle this type of inner strife. The Hurricanes deserved to win because we weren’t there, I at least used my anger towards Jon to score a goal. But we also wanted to be home. Luckily we would be playing the Blues at home so I could enjoy a couple days of rest at home. Which I did, so very much.
Claire had a pot of coffee ready for me when I got home that night after the loss and Maple-Bacon Donuts that she had made from scratch.
"So what was the deal with you guys when you played againist Carolina? Why weren't you playing on the first line with Jon and Pat?" Shequestioned like I thought She would.
"I didn't want to be on the same line as Jon after wehad a fight on the flight over there from San Jose." I admitted, not wanting to lie to her becauseshe would find out eventually from someone else aka: Kaner orSharpie.
"Hmm... And what was this'fight' about?" She asked, motioning for me to continue.
"Well, we were watchingTheLove Guru. I know, great choice, right?After that Itold him what I was going to when the reporters asked me what inspired me to play after we when the Stanley Cup. Which involved the Love Guru and DarenRoanoke. He got allCaptian Serious on me andbasically told me that I wasn't taking thissport as seriously as I should." I let out in one breath.
"You love him." She declared after musing over what I had just said.
"What? No, I don't. He's a friend that's all." I growled. She then looked at me with a challengingglare,
"Tell me when wasthe last time you cared about what a guysaid to you? You must hold his opinionhigher than most other because you wouldn't be this upset that you let it effect your game. Even though you did a bang up job withyour breakaway goal last night. Thosehave become your specialty lately.Puts a new edge on your game when youcan charge like that and then drop the puckback for someone else to take. It opens up holesin the defense."
"Yeah,Iknow, that's why I have beenusing them. But to answer yourquestion from before yourright I care about him and his opinion more than I should. I guess,I really do likehim more than I thought I did." I said, with a small smile. I hated admitting that someone else wasright and I wasn't.
"Don't worry, then I know that he feels the same way about you. And like you,he doesn'tknowhow tohandle it. You're something hehas never experience in a girl, I can tell by the way he looks at you. Just give him time and he'llcome around." She nodded her smilehad grown as well.She had planted a seedin my mind thatthere was apossiblity for Jon and I to be something more. That I wantedus to be more and that he might too. Iknew that I had to saysomethingtohim before he left for the olympics.
At the morning skate before the game, I decided to approach Jon, but he ignored me to talk to one of the fans that had come to attend the practice. I was miffed that he was still pissed at me because of a misunderstanding that wasn’t of much importance. After the morning I asked to be changed two the second line so that I wouldn’t have to play with him during the game that night. Which we lost yet again, I could see that coach was getting frustrated with us, but he was quite ready to voice it yet.
The next morning after my morning run, I came home to a missed call, the number I didn’t recognize so I checked the messaging machine as I grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator,
‘Hello, Miss. Maxwell, this is Scott Gordon; head coach for the United States Men’s National Ice Hockey Team. David Backes injured himself during the game he played againist you last night. He was going to be on the Olympic team and we need someone to fill the slot. We selected you as his replacement, because as the season has continued on you have shown a vast amount of skill and talent. I remembered watching you at Ann Arbor and I know that you will fit the order. I am looking forward to meeting with you again after you have experience the NHL.’
Oh my fucking god! Did he just say what I think he said? Pinch me; I must be dreaming this isn’t actually happening, is it? Ouch! It is, yay, I get to play with Kaner! Oh man, that means that I am going to play againist Jon. Oh shit, I gotta tell Claire!
We won our next two road games againist Edmonton and San Jose. Jon, Dustin, Marian, and I all scoring in Edmonton. We follow that with a win in OT with a goal from Brouwer; who had 2 goals that night and Dustin scored again. I had 3 assists that night because no one else could get chains moving and get a good pass to someone near the net, I guess being small in the NHL has its advantages after all.
“Great game tonight, guys. You earned it.” Coach addressed us after the game that night. We had been celebrating amongst ourselves because it was difficult to pull wins together on the road and when we hadn’t had a home game since played the Blue Jackets two weeks earlier, “Let’s use this same momentum to carry us to victory againist Carolina on Saturday.” With that we were dismissed to finish changing and get back on to another plane by midnight. Jon and I watched a movie to pass the time because I couldn’t sleep during the flight.
“When we win the Stanley Cup and reporters ask me what my inspiration was guess what I am going to say.” I demanded after we had finished watching The Love Guru.
“Your totally amazing and extremely talented Captain: Jonathan Toews?” He joked, looking down at me with a strange curiosity in his eyes. I shook my head and laughed before answering,
“No, that wouldn’t go over too well. Actually I’m going to say that my inspiration was Daren Roanoke and the Love Guru.” Jon chuckled a little at that remark,
“You know I would’ve thought that you would say that Steve Yzerman was your inspiration.”
“Well, him too, but I would say that so that I could get a laugh out of the reporters. Jon, you should know by now that I love making people laugh.” I agreed, turning back to face him. My amusement was no longer matched in his eyes, in fact he was staring down with the most serious gaze he had ever look at me with.
“The Stanley Cup isn’t something to joke around about, even your inspiration for winning it or becoming a hockey player. It’s something that you take seriously and treat with respect.” Jon scolded me.
“I do take it seriously and respect it completely, otherwise you wouldn’t see me playing hockey at this level. Sometimes you have to learn when to sit back and enjoy the moment when it happens.” I whispered back to him, harshly, so that we wouldn’t disturb some of the guys, who were sleeping.
“Obviously, you don’t because you don’t count any losses againist your performance, you laugh off your penalties-“He began.
“No, Jonathan, I do count losses againist my performance but everyone has a different way of coping with them. I chose to laugh it off because I don’t want to go back to the way I was right after my dad died. I want to be positive because I know that one lose isn’t the end of the season for us.” With that I got up and went to go sit with Kaner because I was so pissed at Jon for doubting my respect for the sport that I would’ve punch him if I had stayed.
“Hey, Dillan, why aren’t you sittin’ with Tazer?” Kane inquired, sleepily after he woke up after noticing that someone had sat down next to him.
“No, Jon and I had an argument and I couldn’t take it anymore so I got up and came to you.” I explained, slouching in the seat so that my head couldn’t be seen from above it.
“What was you’re argument about?” He questioned further. I sighed and ran my fingers through my long blonde hair and the expanded up on my further statement.
“I see,” He stated after I was finished, “That’s low even for him. I just think that he ‘s tired from this recent road trip and will be fine once we get a home game in or two.” I just nodded and tried to doze off.
The next day I didn’t even speak to Jon even at practice and I roomed with Duncan that night. Our team looked so poorly put together when we played Carolina for some reason. I guess, the rest of the guys had heard from Kaner about the fight that Jon and I had the night before and didn’t know how to handle this type of inner strife. The Hurricanes deserved to win because we weren’t there, I at least used my anger towards Jon to score a goal. But we also wanted to be home. Luckily we would be playing the Blues at home so I could enjoy a couple days of rest at home. Which I did, so very much.
Claire had a pot of coffee ready for me when I got home that night after the loss and Maple-Bacon Donuts that she had made from scratch.
"So what was the deal with you guys when you played againist Carolina? Why weren't you playing on the first line with Jon and Pat?" Shequestioned like I thought She would.
"I didn't want to be on the same line as Jon after wehad a fight on the flight over there from San Jose." I admitted, not wanting to lie to her becauseshe would find out eventually from someone else aka: Kaner orSharpie.
"Hmm... And what was this'fight' about?" She asked, motioning for me to continue.
"Well, we were watchingTheLove Guru. I know, great choice, right?After that Itold him what I was going to when the reporters asked me what inspired me to play after we when the Stanley Cup. Which involved the Love Guru and DarenRoanoke. He got allCaptian Serious on me andbasically told me that I wasn't taking thissport as seriously as I should." I let out in one breath.
"You love him." She declared after musing over what I had just said.
"What? No, I don't. He's a friend that's all." I growled. She then looked at me with a challengingglare,
"Tell me when wasthe last time you cared about what a guysaid to you? You must hold his opinionhigher than most other because you wouldn't be this upset that you let it effect your game. Even though you did a bang up job withyour breakaway goal last night. Thosehave become your specialty lately.Puts a new edge on your game when youcan charge like that and then drop the puckback for someone else to take. It opens up holesin the defense."
"Yeah,Iknow, that's why I have beenusing them. But to answer yourquestion from before yourright I care about him and his opinion more than I should. I guess,I really do likehim more than I thought I did." I said, with a small smile. I hated admitting that someone else wasright and I wasn't.
"Don't worry, then I know that he feels the same way about you. And like you,he doesn'tknowhow tohandle it. You're something hehas never experience in a girl, I can tell by the way he looks at you. Just give him time and he'llcome around." She nodded her smilehad grown as well.She had planted a seedin my mind thatthere was apossiblity for Jon and I to be something more. That I wantedus to be more and that he might too. Iknew that I had to saysomethingtohim before he left for the olympics.
At the morning skate before the game, I decided to approach Jon, but he ignored me to talk to one of the fans that had come to attend the practice. I was miffed that he was still pissed at me because of a misunderstanding that wasn’t of much importance. After the morning I asked to be changed two the second line so that I wouldn’t have to play with him during the game that night. Which we lost yet again, I could see that coach was getting frustrated with us, but he was quite ready to voice it yet.
The next morning after my morning run, I came home to a missed call, the number I didn’t recognize so I checked the messaging machine as I grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator,
‘Hello, Miss. Maxwell, this is Scott Gordon; head coach for the United States Men’s National Ice Hockey Team. David Backes injured himself during the game he played againist you last night. He was going to be on the Olympic team and we need someone to fill the slot. We selected you as his replacement, because as the season has continued on you have shown a vast amount of skill and talent. I remembered watching you at Ann Arbor and I know that you will fit the order. I am looking forward to meeting with you again after you have experience the NHL.’
Oh my fucking god! Did he just say what I think he said? Pinch me; I must be dreaming this isn’t actually happening, is it? Ouch! It is, yay, I get to play with Kaner! Oh man, that means that I am going to play againist Jon. Oh shit, I gotta tell Claire!