D2: The Mighty Ducks Novel

THREE-RING HOCKEY

     The championship game was scheduled to be played in the enormous Anaheim Arena, about thirty miles south of downtown Los Angeles in Orange County. When the Ducks arrived for practice the Anaheim Arena was empty. It was huge larger than anything the kids could ever have imagined. It was also scary. No one said much. The kids were all thinking the same thing: championship.

     Gordon limped onto the ice with his cane. We made it! he thought. He sat down on a bench, and Adam Banks walked over. He held out his hockey stick and rotated it. He smiled proudly, and so did Gordon.

     "I woke up this morning and the pain was gone," said Banks. The rest of the team was hud dled around them on the bench.

     "Adam," Gordon said. "We have a full roster." He looked at Russ, then back at Adam. As much as Adam wanted to play, he knew the team needed the knucklepuck.

     Then Charlie stepped forward.

     "Banks can have my place," he said. He knew Adam Banks was the better player. "It's what I can do for the team." He turned to his teammate. "Just do your best, Adam."

     "Charlie," Gordon said, patting him on the back. "I need you on the bench coaching right there with me."

     Charlie smiled. There was no place else he would rather be during the game.

     That evening Team USA and Team Iceland stood opposite each other on the ice. It was time.

     The arena was packed to capacity with thousands of cheering fans waving flags and holding placards.

     Gordon could hardly make himself heard over the noise.

     "Okay," Gordon explained to his team at the conclusion of the national anthems. "Here we are. We made it here as a team, we're leaving as a team, right?"

     "RIGHT!" shouted the Ducks.

     "Now, listen," Gordon reminded them. "I'm standing tall. Forget about yesterday. I don't want to play that way."

     "But, Coach, they hurt you," said Portman. The kids all chimed in in support. Gordon was touched.

     "Thanks, guys," he said. That means a lot. But I'm your coach, right? And Isay we play fair and beat them good. Real good. Stand tall! Heads up high!"

     Pumped up by Gordon's enthusiasm, the kids leaped from the bench, and with a collective roar they hit the ice. The puck was dropped to begin the first period. Guy controlled the face-off, skated past a defender, and was just about to flip a pass when he was checked hard into the boards by a Viking. The puck ricocheted off the boards and shot like a rocket toward the Team USA net. Goldberg tried clearing the puck behind the net but was tripped by a Vikings player. Dwayne swerved in to cut off the winger, but he was too late. The winger flicked the puck to Olaf. The Ducks recognized him as the Viking who had started the fight on the beach. With Goldberg down on the play, Olaf slapped the puck easily into the net.

     Team Iceland jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.

     "Too slow, big boy." heckled Olaf as Goldberg got to his feet. Goldberg lunged toward Olaf, but Ken and Dwayne pulled him back.

     "No," said Dwayne. "You heard what the coach said."

     "Besides," added Ken. "That guy'll kill you."

     Goldberg realized instantly that Ken was right "Well, at least hold me back like I'm going to kill him," he instructed his friends.

     Next, Gordon sent Russ and Jesse onto the ice. Coach Stansson retaliated by sending out two Vikings players to "greet" Russ. No way was Stansson going to allow him an opportunity to shoot his knucklepuck.