No Romance (Brendan Gallagher)

Realization

We're halfway through the first period and it's still 0-0. Both teams are playing very well but we just seem to be playing slightly more aggressive, putting the shots on goal 7-4 in our favor.

"We're playing really good don't you think?" Caden whispers to me from our spot behind the team bench.

"Yea I think so, we're being super aggressive which sometimes we aren't." As soon as I say this Patrick gets the puck from Hossa and starts skating down the right side of the boards, passing most of our team along the way. Brendan is on his tail though while the rest of our players are trying to catch up since they were at the other end of the ice. Sensing Brendan on his butt, Patrick passes the puck to Toews whose in front of him. Right after releasing the puck Brendan sends Patrick flying into the boards, making him land awkwardly on his shoulder. I hop up out of my seat, as does the rest of the United Center, gasping at what I just saw. That hit that Brendan just delivered was plain dirty, fully extending his elbows and aiming high, you could tell it was intentional. I've honestly never seen Brendan deliver a hit like that before and I'm at a loss for words, he's never singled out a player. Immiediently the rest of Patrick's teammates skate over to his side to try to help him and also talk to Brendan. Jonathan skates up to Brendan to say some choice words about his hit on his teammate and soon enough they're both dropping the gloves. The fight starts quickly and is intense, each hit on Brendan I cringe knowing that he'll be bloody afterwards. Not even 10 seconds later other Blackhawks skate up to Brendan and begin beating on him as well and soon enough it's a full out brawl between the Blackhawks and Canadiens, all because of one hit. The referees soon break up the fight and send Brendan over to us because he's so beat up; his knuckles are red, he has a bloody nose, and several bloody scratches on his face. The referees award the Blackhawks a 5 minute power play for Brendan's hit on Patrick and a 2 minute power play for the Canadiens because of Jonathan starting the fight. Thankfully Brendan isn't thrown out of the game because he didn't leave his feet, if he had done that he would be gone. Brendan meets us at the bench and Graham and I walk into the medical room with him, leaving Caden by the bench in case something else happens and he's needed.

"Sit down," Graham instructs Brendan once we get into the medical room. Brendan sits down without saying a word, grimacing with pain. Graham leaves the medical room to go get some supplies which were in the closet nearby.

"What the hell was that?!" I whisper shout to Brendan.

"What?" he asks.

"That hit on Patrick. What were you thinking? You could've gotten seriously injured or even ejected!"

"I wasn't thinking Quincy I just did it,"

"Yea obviously," I shake my head at him. Graham re enters the room with medical supplies in hand and sets them down on a nearby table.

"Okay let me see here," he says as he begins to look over Brendan. "I see two broken knuckles, and a few cuts on your face but nothing that requires stitches. Quincy do you think you can clean him up and take an X-ray of his hands, we just need them for files."

"Am I out with for rest of the game?" Brendan asks Graham with a grimace on his face.

"Unless you can grip a stick and shoot a puck then yes. You might even be out for more depending on the X-ray."

"Oh come on!" Brendan exclaims as he puts his head into his lap.

"Sorry son but you're the one who delivered that hit on Kane. You got what you deserved."

"Yea yea," Brendan says once he realizes that Graham was right.

"Alright Quincy i'm going to head back out to our bench and check up on Caden. Come find me when you finished." And with this Graham walks out of the medical room leaving me and Brendan alone. I begin to gather my supplies that I'll need and put them on the ground next to my stool. I begin by stopping Brendan's bloody nose and then cleaning up the cuts on his face with water and antiseptic so they won't get infected.