Ice

29

Isabella's POV

"BLUE D GO." Our defensive coach shouts causing Kendrick and I to hop over the boards as the White D pairing hops off the ice here at the United Center in Chicago.

We're playing the Chicago Blackhawks tonight and we're in over time with the score tied 2-2.

"Mine." I say as I see the Chicago captain Connor Bedard streaking towards our goal with the puck then I sprint towards the path he's on so I can intercept him

A couple seconds later our paths meet so I slam into Bedard and send him down to the ice then I skate over to the puck and grab it with my stick.

Once I have the puck I look up ice and see I only have one option.

"Hope this works." I say then I shoot the puck across the ice towards the boards that separate the benches from the ice.

Once the puck leaves my stick I watch it slide across the ice, bounce off the boards, then the puck is picked up by Auston who does some fancy stick work as he skates towards goal.

Auston's fancy stick works and puts the goalie on his ass then my favorite center shoots the puck into the net for the game winning goal.

"YEAH." I shout then I skate over to Ezra and jump on him.

"I think you gave him a concussion." Ezra says.

"I didn't even hit him that hard." I say as I turn and look at Connor Bedard who's sat on the ice being looked at.

Ezra chuckles then we celebrate with our teammates.

After I hug or high five my teammates, I head over to the bench, step in through the door, then Waffles and I head to the locker room.

Once in the locker room I quickly take off my uniform, pads, and skates then I take a quick shower.

After my shower I put on my comfy clothes.

"Nice hoodie." Ezra says as he looks at me.

I'm wearing a Change the Name hoodie.

The Blackhawks really need to get with the times and change their name.

I don't give a shit that Chicago is one of the original six teams in the NHL.

It's time to change the name.

"Thanks." I say then I look at Waffles. "Come on girl."

Waffles woofs then we leave the locker room and head to the press room for my post game media duties.

When we get to the press room, Waffles and I head inside then we sit at the little table in front of the press people.

Once I'm sat down, Waffles lays down at my feet while I notice all the reporters staring at my hoodie.

"As long as this is an orderly press conference I'm ready when you are." I say causing a lot of hands to shoot up then our team media liaison calls on someone

"Your hoodie says Change The Name." Some dude says. "Is that about the Blackhawks?"

"It is." I say.

"Why do you think they should change it?"

"Do you know how bad your organization looks when it still has it's racist name but the Washington NFL team doesn't?" I rehotorically question. "That franchise is a fucking shit show."

"What about the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Chiefs?"

"They should absolutely find new names." I say. "Just because they find a few Native Americans to slip money to and pay off to say they love the name doesn't mean they can ignore the majority of Native American's who want it changed."

Side note, I'm hungry as shit.

"Have any of you talked to Native American's about this?" I question. "Cause I have and a lot of them say the names need to be changed."

"Well what would Chicago change it to?" A lady asks.

"What they could do if they want to keep the military identity is keep the teams colors, change the name to Black Hawks and adopt the logo of the 86th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Black Hawk Division after Chief Black Hawk." I say. "Not that difficult."

"Tonight was the Blackhawks' Pride night and they had five players not wear the warm up jerseys." A man says. "What do you think that says about those players?"

"I think it shows everyone that they're soft." I say. "If you can't wear a rainbow warm up jersey for twenty minutes before a game to support your fans just because you religion says so then your just a bitch."

"Do you think your teammates support you being gay?"

"I know they do." I say. "And even if they didn't they wouldn't be on this team considering the owners are a lesbian couple."

"Do you think your hit on Bedard was legal?"

"He had the puck and I hit him like I hit everyone else." I say. "I don't see what was wrong with it."

"ISABELLA WE HAVE YOUR STUFF." Kendrick shouts as he walks past the press room

"THANKS." I shout.

"SEE YOU ON THE BUS." Ezra shouts.

"Do you want to know the score of the Army game?" A lady asks.

Army played Penn State while we were playing.

"Ooh yes please." I say.

"Army won 48-10." The lady says.

"Sick." I say then I give the subtle "I'm done" signal to our team media liaison.

Our signal is tapping our right index finger three times on the table.

"We have to leave soon so I think that's all the time we have." The team media liaison says.  

"Come on Waffles." I say as I scoot my chair back then I stand up and leave the press conference room.

Once out of the press room, Waffles and I walk over to the team bus and get on.

"AWOOO." Waffles loudly says.

"Someone's vocal." Kasper Aaberg says with a smile as Waffles and I head back to our room.

"Guess she missed the boys." I say with a smile then I stop walking.

"You alright?" Auston asks.

"Was my hit on Bedard a bad one?" I question. "Some journalist made it seem like it was."

"It was a hard hit." Mitch Marner says. "But other than that it was perfectly fine."

"Sweet." I say. "Now let's go to Colorado."