Quest For Yzerchuk 3: The YIPs

9 - Galchenyuk's Brave Stand

April 15, 2016

In Amalie Arena,

The third period comes as a blur with little offense from the pumped-up Lightning. The Red Wings pour on pressure, doing everything to suffocate the Lightning's hope, but Ben Bishop stands tall in goal keeping the score even at 2-2.

TJ finds it difficult to find his speed and he lags behind, while the rest of the Lightning seem to have a similar problem. At first there is frustration, but then the Bolts remember to just try, and even though they have faith and determination flooding through them, they find it difficult to produce any kind of offense, except a few lucky breaks here and there.

Dylan Larkin finds himself playing like a rookie too. He runs into Kronwall first and then loses his edge and falls into the boards and then runs into Galchenyuk. He jumps with fright at Pavel's angry tone each time. Galchenyuk takes note and informs the rest of the Lightning bench, who go easy on Larkin.

Boyle, who'd been chirping the rookie left and right and then Drouin, who'd made a massive hit on him, ease off, feeling sympathy for him.

Around 12 minutes left in the period, Alex Galchenyuk takes the ice. He skates toward Larkin, who has the puck, as a sudden thought creeping into his mind. He charges at him at full speed but before he checks him into the boards, he stops quickly and swiftly, making the flowing ice land on Larkin's equipment. He dishes the puck away from the shocked forward, sending it up to an open Jonathan Drouin.

"I thought you were going to hit me...why'd you stop?" Larkin asks.

"Dylan, look, I'm not gonna hurt you...let's talk, you and I," Galchenyuk says.

"I-I-I can't!" Larkin stutters, turning to skate off.

Galchenyuk halts him, grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving. "Let's talk, Larkin. You're a lot like me, when I was a Montreal Canadien."

Larkin turns to him and nods. "But you never had a Pavel Datsyuk!"

"I did. Worst part was, my Pavel Datsyuk, he was my best friend." Galchenyuk shakes his head and cross-checks Larkin into the boards to make it seem to Pavel, who was watching the scene with a skeptical eye, that they were fighting. "Dive. Just dive and get a penalty, so we can talk in the penalty box!"

"O-Okay..." Larkin says.

Galchenyuk skates off and trips up Larkin with his stick in his skates. Dylan yelps and dives, trying to sell the penalty. Sure enough both are called and taken to the penalty boxes. Dylan looks over at Galchenyuk, who smiles at him.

"Pavel's not gonna hurt you anymore, I promise. And you're safe in here."

"Thanks. So your Datsyuk was your friend?" Larkin questions, getting a drink.

"He was. His name was Brendan Gallagher. He got too far into the revenge business, it turned him insane. He's obsessed with taking Tampa down by any means necessary. I think, and I wouldn't be shocked, if he was behind the whole 'Carle thing' and 'Pally's kidnapping' and sucking up your teammates into his evil web of treachery."

"Yeah...it's true. From what I know, from Abby, Carle got the idea to bring him into the plan. I guess, Gallagher came up with the idea and relayed it to Carle, who talked to his friend Abby. Abby being Abdelkader. I was never onboard with the plan. They wanted me to hurt innocent players, including Filppula, who I have a ton of respect for. I could never agree and I honestly did stand up to Pavel Datsyuk. But he's threatened my family and my NHL career and that is why I am seriously scared of him!"

Galchenyuk shakes his head. "Dylan, that was Gally and I, minus the threatening. At first I went along with the revenge scheme. I stole Yzerchuk, helped kidnap TJ and even had a hand in hurting Vladdy. I beat him up, put a stupid Habs jersey on him and called him a 'pussy'...I'm shocked that he's been so open and willing to forgive me for that. I was an asshole to him."