Living Proof (NHL)

Chapter Twelve

I didn't know what happened after that but one minute I was on my knees and the next, I was laying on the ice covering my face. The puck had hit my cheek bone, right under my visor.

The pain was excruciating, I couldn't even open my eyes.

"Cub!" I felt hands on my wrists, trying to pry my hands from my face. "Let me see."

When I finally moved my hands, there was a gasp before a rag was put against my cheek. I hissed in pain and cracked my eyes open as two people started lifting me up.

"How bad is it?" When I was up on my skates finally, I shook off the gloved hands and started slowly skating towards the bench.

I could feel the blood seeping into the rag and it made me more nervous. I couldn't be out of the game, not now.

"You only need a few stitches but it's going to bruise pretty bad."

"Okay, do it now. I need to get back out there." I quickly sat on the medical table, bouncing my knees up and down. The doctor went to protest but I quickly shook my head. "I can't just stay out of the game. Just give me the stitches and let me go back out there."

"Fine but if you start feeling funny, your face starts bleeding, or your eyes are blurry, you need to get off the ice." When I agreed, he grabbed his stuff and started stitching up my face.

I never thought that I would get stitches without meds or at least a shot to numb the area. It was painful but I couldn't stay out of the game.

That would just give the media more reasons as to why I shouldn't be playing in the NHL.

****

"Are you sure you can play?"

"Yes. I'm fine!" That was the fourth time I was asked that in the span of ten minutes.

The second period was already done by the time the doctor was done stitching and cleaning up my face. It was already brusing and swelling and hurt like crazy but I wasn't going to let it stop me.

"It's bad Cub. You look like you have a small orange in your cheek."

"Thanks Olli. That means a lot." I knew he didn't say it too hurt my feelings. He was only looking out for me like everyone else which was getting kind of annoying. "Stop worrying about me. And stop looking at me!" I said it louder so all the guys could hear me.

They all turned away and acted like they weren't doing anything. That's what I thought.

****

"Way to go Downs!" I shouted and patted his helmet as he skated past. He had just made our second goal of the night against the Blackhawks, who still had zero.

At the start of the third, we had a power play to work with. Sid and Geno worked their magic and were able too get us our first goal.

This second goal came with only thirty seconds on the clock after they pulled their goalie; it sealed our win.

"Sutter's line out. Try to kill the rest of the game. No penalties."

After I got hit with the puck, I could tell Coach Johnston was holding back on letting me go back on. I wasn't going to say anything about it even though it made me mad.

The doctor cleared me too play, he should let me play. In his defense though, there also wasn't that many opportunities to get changes in.

Sutter let me take the face off this time meaning I was going against Andrew Shaw. When he saw me skate into the circle, he smirked and watched as I switched the way I held my stick.