True Grit on The Ice

Chapter 1

The horn blows, and six players come out onto the ice for the faceoff. Anticipation for the drop of the puck is high. The fans are going crazy, a "Let’s Go Rangers!" chant fills the air, excitement and anticipation is mounting. Fans are standing up just waiting for this game to start, for the ref to drop the puck, and for their home team to score and then eventually win the game. All attention moves to center ice where two players are about to fight for possession of the puck. All the players get ready, trying to throw the opposing squad of their game by insulting one another. Capitals versus Rangers, a heated rivalry. Facing off are Nicklas Backstrom for the Capitals and Brandon Dubinsky for the Rangers, both aware that this game is going to be a tough one and they need to win the faceoff so momentum will favor their team. The referee blows the whistle, skates to center ice, tells them to get ready for the puck. They get into position to swipe the puck behind them, knowing that their teammates even now are fighting to get the puck so the other team will not.

Then suddenly, the ref drops the puck. Dubinsky swipes it away and the puck goes flying backwards. Girardi picks it up and quickly passes to Callahan who skates forward with it-- he crosses the blue line and quickly shoots at the goal before being slammed into the boards. The shot goes off the goalie and onto Dubinsky’s stick. Without thinking he shoots the puck. It goes up into the air and right past the goalie into the upper left hand side of the net. There is a deafening silence, and then fans erupt in celebration. The Garden goes crazy, both by the Rangers and fans, everybody shaking hands, clapping each other on the back, saying 'that was an awesome goal'. Then the crowd starts chanting 'Dubi, Dubi, Dubi!' and they can't believe it-- an early goal, just what everyone wanted. Unlike the first minute of play, the game continues. The rest of the period was uneventful.

Second period became rougher: hard hits, players chirping each other, giving the game a real edge to it. Surprisingly, there is no fight in the second period-- the ref gets there too fast for one to start, which the fans boo every time they broke what looked like was going to be a great fight. The third period, however, is another story. Going into the final period the teams were evenly matched. After that first goal, no one gave an inch and if you dared to pass the blue line you got crushed into the boards and the puck was stolen. Ovechkin laid a nasty hit on Callie that sent him flying to the ground. The fans were booing Ovechkin, Dubi wasn’t happy with that hit, or the lack of call by the refs. Skates over to Ovi and says

“Let’s go right now, don’t be a pussy.”

Ovi replies “Fuck you, let’s go!” Fans are going crazy, with everyone thinking 'fights are awesome let’s go Dubi kick his ass.'

Dubi grabs onto Ovechkins shirt,throws a quick left hook that hits Ovi in the jaw, while ducking a fist coming at his face. Back and forth it goes, fists connecting to flesh, blood oozing-- a vicious fight that left both of them tired and ready to get medical attention. Though neither one wanted to concede defeat to the other, on the fight went until in a last ditch effort Dubi takes Ovechkin down to the ice where the refs break them apart. The fans are going crazy; chanting 'Dubi!’ his team stands banging their sticks against the boards to show their support.

Fighting gets you a five-minute penalty: you get punished and have to watch your team play without you. It sucks.

“Hey, Dubi, nice fight, way to beat that prick.”

“Yeah, no worries there, he annoys the hell outta me Al, only so much I can take before I gotta kick the crap outta him” replies Dubi.

He hate being in the penalty box, it blows, he wants to be out there with his team fighting to get another goal and to prevent the Caps from getting one on us. But it was worth it, no one screws with his team and gets a way with it.' The athletic trainer comes across the ice to take a look at me he looked look like a mess.

“Alright, Dubi come on you have to get checked out and I think you may need stitches,” the athletic trainer said.

“No I’m good, I want to watch the rest of the game, it’s gonna be intense I can tell,” he replied. he need him to understand that he had to be here to support the guys.

“Look I know you want to be here for you team but you won’t be any help to them if you're bleeding all over yourself, let's get you fixed up and then by the time that happens you can go back into the game,” the trainer said, trying to placate him.

“Okay fine, let’s do this.” He had a point; Ovi get to go back into the game and you can’t play if you're bleeding over everyone.

They headed across the ice so he could get fixed up. MSG was cheering like crazy for me. The crowd stands up and cheers for him, Brandon could hear a few boos and he was wondering why. When he looked to his left he saw Ovi’s skating off the ice to and he was willing to bet he looks worse then himself. That makes Brandon feel great, he deserves that for the cheap hit he laid on Callie. He goes down the tunnel and into the locker room to get fixed up. By the time they were done the games was over. They had won. Callie paid back Ovi’s hit by scoring off a pass from Artie. They came into the room cheering wildly, and there was an air of exhilaration. Everybody comes by me and tells me the fight was awesome and he deserved it. Torts comes in, and we all quiet down to hear what he has to say.

“That was a great game, we kicked some serious ass boys, against a tough team that always comes out to play,” he waits a second before speaking again. “We don’t have a game for three days, so tomorrow, enjoy your day off. And once again, that was an awesome game.”

“Dubi, how’s the head,” Torts asks me.

“It’s fine seven stitches and a nice shiner, well worth it though. He’s a dick,” the fight was worth it even though he didn’t get to go back into the game.

“That was a great fight, you showed him how New Yorkers fight,” Torts says proudly.

“You do know I’m from Alaska right,” he laughed out.

“Do you or do you not live in New York?”

“Well, yes I do,” Brandon, with a grin.

“Then you’re a New Yorker no questions asked,” he says. “Well, okay then, I’m a New Yorker,” he tells him.

“Damn straight you are.”

He walks away from me to go talk to the press.

“Ready to go to the bar Dubi and celebrate!” one of the boys yells out to me.

“Hell yeah, where are we heading?” he asked with interest.

“To McGregor’s as usual, come on, you should know that by now,” Del Zotto yelled over.

"All right, meet you guys there," he told them.

****

Sorry for the indepth hockey scene, i promise it gets better!!

Special thanks to my best friend Nicole for Proofing my work!!!