Chapter 2
It was Monday morning just after 7am and the Steamrollers were back at the rink getting ready for their morning skate, but much to the annoyance of the youngsters their coach was late.
‘What is going on?’ David grumbled he hated early morning practice and with the coach being late that wasn’t helping his mood. Troy looked to the team’s assistant coach Barry White for answers, but he simply shrugged his shoulders.
‘Sorry guys but I know about this as much as you do.’ He said.
‘I’m hungry!’ Frank Holland whined.
‘You’re always hungry bro nothing new there,’ Andrew Elsom teased.
The locker room door opened, and Coach Seymour strode in looking happy and un-perturbed by his lateness.
‘Michael where have you been?’ Barry asked Michael patted his assistant on the shoulder.
‘Had a meeting with some very important people Bar don’t worry about it,’ he answered and faced his team.
‘All right guys go get yourself warmed up.’ He said and the players left the locker room and made their way onto the ice. Michael and Barry had their skates on along with their assistant trainers
‘First exercise I want to begin with is the skating warm up. Six times up and down the ice 3 up and 3 down and we’re doing this in group of threes,’ Michael explained.
‘Ashley, Caleb and James you are up first.’ He added and the trainers went out with their cones to make out the places and the three skaters went into position.
‘Barry.’ Michael said and held out his hand; Barry placed a stopwatch in his hand and gave one to another of the trainers’.
‘Get set…ready…go!’
All three skaters took off at a rapid fast pace none of them ahead of each other just equal and for the first couple of trips it was easy going but by the fourth and fifth go legs started to tire so it was a good test for their stamina. Six rounds were complete times noted and the next three had their turn. When Ashley grabbed her bottle from behind the bench it was then she noticed several men seated in the rows behind looking on at their practice.
‘Coach?’ she asked.
‘Yes Ashley,’
‘Who are they?’’
‘It is not your concern Pearson just focus,’ he answered. Ashley somewhat bemused by his comment decided to shrug it off and get back to work.
In the next part of their practice Michael had them go through game plans for their next game and after that he worked with his 4 lines pitting them against each other in a battle of wits and skill. Barry has been Michael’s assistant for two years now and knew Michael liked to work his players hard and have them polished but this was different something Barry hadn’t seen before. Michael seemed particularly keen to have his three best forwards work the hardest.
‘Ok good job everyone; have a break and we resume in fifteen minutes,’ he said and the players looked relieved to get the break.
‘Barry, can I have the results as soon as possible,’ Michael said.
‘Yes of course. Edward will have them entered in the database right away and I’ll get the printout,’ Barry remarked.
‘Good.’
Michael walked off the ice and stood by the bench facing the windowpane as the group of men standing further up the seats made their way down to talk with him. The conversation was brief followed by handshakes and then the group made their way out.
‘So, what was that all about?’ Barry asked.
‘Just business,’ Michael replied.
‘Look Mike something is up you’ve been tight-lipped since the game, so what is going on?’ Barry remarked.
‘Ok I got approached after the last game by a couple of NHL scouts about three of our players, they are very interested in. Nothing serious yet but they have one of the team’s here so wanted to look. I invited them to practice, and they are expected to be at our next game on Wednesday,’ Michael explained Barry nodded his head no wonder Michael was working them all so hard this morning.
‘Is there anything else we need to do?’
Michael shook his head.
‘Not yet. They’ll make their own decisions between now and the game and inform me later.’ He answered.
Practice was complete by 9:15am with the players free to go.
‘Ashley, I want to see you before you leave.’ Michael said she cocked her head curious as to why, but she didn’t question and quickly finished packing then went up to her coach.
‘I heard about your little game with some locals the other night,’ he began.
‘Oh.’ She said.
‘I just don’t want you messing with the wrong kids and especially not now. We’re here to win and I expect all my players to be on their best behavior,’ he answered she nodded.
‘Yes, sir but maybe you should tell that to Troy and his little party antics on Saturday. That I think deserved more attention than me having a game,’ she replied.
‘Yes, I know that and I will talk to him afterwards but Ashley you need to listen. You have made quite an impression lately and a lot of people are starting to take notice. Important people as well so I want to be sure that you stay out of trouble and leave that to what you do best,’ he explained now lowering his voice so the others wouldn’t hear. Ashley was a little surprised she couldn’t imagine who would take any notice of her, she just enjoyed playing the game for kicks nothing more, and in a man’s world nobody would care.
‘All right coach’ She answered.
‘Good.’
He let her go and called Troy next.
Ashley, and her teammates went to the car park to board their bus, the sun was out, and the sky was a delightful light blue for such an early morning.
‘Hey, kid!’ somebody shouted. Ashley snapped from her thoughts hearing the call she looked around to see two guys twice her height dressed down in shorts, t-shirts and sandals leaned against the back end of the bus.
‘You talking to me?’ she asked.
‘Yes you, kid. We saw what you were doing in there earlier.’ One of the guys with blondish-red hair said.
‘So?’
‘Well, we just wanted to let you know, we’ll be watching you.’ The guy with the darker brown hair added.
‘Yeah, whatever if you say so.’ She said before climbing into the bus, the two guys looked at each other and laughed.
‘That one has some spike.’
‘Yep, she could be a handful I think,’
***
After another day of practice being over seen by Michael’s mysterious visitors it was finally game day, with the Steamrollers against the Bulls. The team had arrived 45minutes early, the rink was slowly filling up as the crowd filed in ready to watch the game. Michael was extra anxious about this game more than he was in their championship faceoff last season. Aware of the attention from scouts that was growing on his players and not told them he felt the most pressure. He wanted to ensure they performed at their best and if they didn’t deliver the last few days would be a loss. Barry had tried to convince him to tell the players, but he refused. They had enough to focus on he didn’t want them distracted by dangling a false carrot in front of them.
‘Mike, we got to let them go warm up,’ Barry whispered.
‘Huh? Oh, yeah right.’ Michael stood up to address his players.
‘Go warm up guys and just soak up the atmosphere as I always tell you. This is an important game for a lot of reasons. We win and we guarantee a spot in the next round. We lose and we will have to rely on other results which I don’t want to do,’ he replied.
‘Don’t worry coach we won’t let you down,’ Stephen said they headed out for their pre-game warm up Barry and the trainers went along to keep an eye Michael stayed behind with the medical staff though they were too busy to notice.
‘Mr. Seymour,’
Michael turned around to look at the well-dressed but slightly stocky man with a receding hairline.
‘Oh Mr. Bowman sorry I didn’t see you there,’ he apologized.
‘It is fine. Good luck today and we will be watching your team closely,’ Mr. Bowman remarked.
‘Thank you and yes, I know. I just hope we don’t disappoint, the players I mean,’
‘I am sure they will not. They have shown a lot of potential already and it is why we are here and have watched them in practice.’ Mr. Bowman said he shook Michael’s hand and left. Michael breathed out at last brushed off his clothing and straightened up. It was game time he had work to do. Striking his professional appearance, he walked out of the locker room and moved to his position on the bench. Warm up finished and the players came back to assemble themselves on the bench.
‘Ashley we’ll start with your line,’ he instructed she nodded. The referee called for the two lines they moved to center ice.
‘Let’s have a good game kids’ the referee said and dropped the puck Ashley won the face-off. The Bulls left winger; Jacobs gained control of the puck and went into their zone he was skilled and got past the defense and pulled a wrist shot on Andrew, he made an easy save, and the ref blew the whistle it was another face-off.
‘Watch yourselves guys they mean business.’ Andrew said.
‘I got it.’ Ashley answered her opposing center laughed aloud.
‘Please you got lucky girl. I’m the best center man here,’ he remarked James sniggered.
‘You have no idea, Riley. Pearson is just as good as anyone here so don’t underestimate her.’ He said. Scott Riley only laughed more not at all interested.
‘Just play.’
‘You got it.’ She agreed and again won the face-off; Riley growled but went to play. Angelo was able to get the puck to the Bulls zone and set up; they swung the puck left to right finding the right shot and before the Bulls could gain possession.
‘Throw it behind!’ Ashley yelled. James sent his pass across, but it was blocked and sent back out again, David quickly regained but his teammates had to come back onside they did in a hurry, and he dumped the puck in.
‘Change!’ Michael called and Stephen’s line was on.
***
The game through the first two periods was scrappy but the Steamrollers held a 2-1 lead as they headed into the final period. Back out on the ice Michael opted to use Troy’s line to kick things off. He felt his 3rd and 4th lines might be able to weather the storm in the first few minutes before his two top lines got back out there. In the next few minutes of the time passing by his plan worked the Bulls looked to be tiring now this was his chance.
‘Ashley you are up.’ He said.
‘Got it.’
‘Change!’ Troy’s line was off and Ashley’s line back out there they gained control of the puck at center ice and made an attack. This time though she pushed David from his usual defense position on the blue line to mark the area behind the net and passed the puck to Markus he made a gain only for the Bulls right winger Henderson to come force the puck loose, though Markus was able to re-gather and bounced the puck off the boards towards Angelo. He ducked a check and fired a quick wrister through a screen block by James it clanged right off the post the crowd groaned, and the puck bounced loose and Ashley chased after it but just got beaten by Riley.
‘See the master!’ he exclaimed jumping on the loose puck dashing off on the breakaway, she followed and got up behind him. He tried to hold her off with his free hand, so she wedged her stick between his own stick on the puck he still fired a shot but one that was much weaker allowing Andrew with another easy save. Riley was frustrated and lashed out his elbow caught Ashley across the face, the referee was quick to blow the whistle as the others came rushing over to get involved.
‘Change now!’ Michael yelled and this time he sent out Troy’s line again.
‘Ashley are you, all right?’ Danielle asked but Ashley just waved her concern away.
‘I’m fine,’ she answered and pulled off her gloves to touch her cheek and could already feel the bruised area start to swell.
‘Eddie the ice pack.’ She called to the trainer; he retried one and gave it to her and she delicately applied it to her face.
‘Just another scar to add the growing list,’ Angelo teased her; Ashley grunted she was in no mood for fun and games right now.
The clock wound down with 10 minutes left to go in the game still with the Steamrollers ahead by one goal, while the lead was safe Michael was sure the Bulls would have some sneaky plan up their sleeve. He’d spent enough time studying their style of play in their previous games to know this.
‘Listen up team we need to go for all-out attack now,’ he said.
‘So, what do you plan to do?’ Stephen asked.
‘New line this time I want Stephen, Caleb, James, Ashley and Darren as a unit out there,’ he remarked they all knew he meant business; it was very rare he put this group out on the ice.
‘The Bulls will want to attack as well so I want you guys to do the same. Show no mercy to them,’ he answered.
‘Right gang you heard him let’s do it.’ Stephen replied and they moved in for the face-off that was in the neutral zone and Stephen took charge. He won the face-off, but the puck was stolen by Henry Jones the Bulls left-winger. They passed the puck around trying to find a way to get it into the Steamrollers end, but their defense proved too good to penetrate at this point. So, Jones received the puck back from Carl Chisholm his center man and dumped the puck in the zone instead. That’s where Darren gained control skated around the net headed up ice the others made checks on their opponents to clear a path for him. Out the corner of his eye he saw Ashley looming up on the right-hand side so instead of a big wind up he faked a pass to her and bounced the puck straight of the sideboard and allowed it to trickle inside the Bulls end. That was where Ashley picked it up and with the rest of the Bulls players out of play from the checking of the Steamrollers, it left her with just the goaltender. She went for five-hole, but he had that covered so at the very last second as she slid by flicked the puck up had an air swing whack at it but still managed to get a piece of it and get it over the out-stretched hand of the goaltender. It fell into the net, the man behind the goal in the seating area slammed on his red right, the ref pointed to the spot the crowd was in raptures and Ashley didn’t even have time to think when she got swamped over by her line mates. The score now 3-1 to the Steamrollers with 8:32 left to go in the game. They returned to the bench to join in the celebrations with the rest of the team.
‘Ok, ok guys calm down there is still plenty of work to do and enough time for the Bulls. You guys stay out there a little longer just in case. I will call you in for a shift change soon.’ Michael said and they returned for the face-off, but Stephen got chucked out after going too early so James took it and won. The Bulls went hard on attack as soon as they gained control and Michael could see his players were tiring quickly as the Bulls kept shifting the puck around the zone. Darren made a blocked shot but lost his stick, Caleb and Ashley were both struggling to get to the puck and force it out of the zone. At last though James was able to put in a diving slide to poke it away from Jones and the puck was free and Stephen grabbed a handle on it and was able to force it right down the other end for an icing call, the only problem was Michael couldn’t get a change of lines in as that was the rule on icings.
‘Hang in there guys not long!’ he called. Luckily Stephen won the draw, and Caleb got the puck to center ice allowing for a change and Troy’s line albeit with one change was on the ice.
By the end of the game the Steamrollers won 5-3 with the last 7-and-a-half minutes a frenzy of end-to-end action. The crowd began to disperse now, and the Bulls were quick to get off the ice not happy at losing the game.
‘Gather in guys.’ Michael said his team got around in the huddle.
‘I am very proud of all of you today. You came through very well and delivered the match winners. Be proud of yourselves guys. We are off to the next round.’
‘Woohoo!!’ the players cried and high-fived each other and along with the trainers and medical staff headed for the locker room.
‘Mr. Seymour,’
Michael turned around Mr. Bowman and his two assistants Mr. Lewis and Mr. Drysdale and four guys approached him.
‘Hey Bar can you do me a favor and get Pearson, Thomas and Sattler back here?’ Michael asked Barry nodded.
‘I won’t be long,’ he said and true to his word a couple of minutes later Barry was back with the three players in tow. Ashley frowned a little when she noticed two of the guys she recognized from two days ago.
‘Caleb, James and Ashley I want the three of you to meet Scotty Bowman, Dave Lewis and Greg Drysdale the coaching staff of the Detroit Red Wings,’ Michael introduced them.
‘Far out,’ Caleb said Michael shot him a glare.
‘Sorry.’ Caleb quickly apologized.
‘And the four men with them are Captain Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby,’ Michael continued with the introductions. Ashley, Caleb and James glanced at each other in shock; they couldn’t have heard those names right.