choice but to shoot. Using the defender as a screen, Charlie got off a howitzer right into the top left corner. That felt awesome, and Charlie was stoked for the next one-on-one as he received a crisp pass from Miller.
Charlie tried going in with one hand on the stick, holding the puck wide with his right hand. Usually, the defenceman went for the puck, and he’d slip it between his legs and step inside. This time the D ignored the puck completely and rode Charlie off to the side.
“Nice play,” Charlie said. He wasn’t sure but he thought his name was Nathan.
The compliment seemed to have surprised him. “Yeah, thanks,” he grunted in return.
As Charlie waited to go again, Trevor skated over to him.
“Hey, Charlie. Careful with that deke. You lose the puck in the neutral zone and your team will get punished on the counter attack. If the D doesn’t bite, bounce it outside and at least make sure the puck gets into their end — and take it hard, no soft moves.”
He slapped his shin pads and in two seconds was practically at top speed. Charlie marvelled at how effortlessly he skated. Trevor was right, though. These guys knew better than to look at the puck. When his turn came up, he was determined to follow Trevor’s advice. He used a spin move at the top of the circle and beat one defender to the outside, only the goalie came out strong and took away the angle and stopped Charlie’s snap shot to the short side.
Slogger was defending for the second one-on-one. Charlie took the pass and drifted into centre, faked left with his head, slowed slightly to throw Slogger off, and then broke it outside along the boards. Slogger carved on his edges frantically to head him off.
As he crossed the blue line, Charlie had to slow down to gather the puck, and that let Slogger spin to his left, and his hip just caught Charlie on the inside of his thigh. Charlie bounced off and his right elbow banged against the glass. He kept his feet moving, however, and with thepuck sitting about a foot from the boards, Charlie was able to gain the corner and cut towards the goalie, who’d drifted out to the top of the crease. Unfortunately, his elbow was throbbing and, distracted by the pain, he lost control of the puck trying to shovel it stick side with his backhand.
“Next time I won’t take it so easy on ya,” Slogger joked, as he turned and skated back to centre.
A sick feeling in his gut, Charlie coasted to a stop behind the forward’s line. Of course he had to lose his elbow pad and then smash into the boards in the first drill. He gingerly tried to extend his arm — and a shock wave spread up and down his arm.
The rest of the practice was a nightmare. The pain made it hard to shoot. He’d never been so relieved to hear a coach blow his whistle to signal the end of practice.
In the dressing room the typical horseplay ensued, tape balls whizzing though the air, and the guys dissing each other or bragging about some move or other.
“Zane, how’d it feel getting totally dangled on that one-on-one,” a kid named Richard teased.
Zane tilted his chin up. “Shut up, ya goof,” he shot back.
Charlie ignored them, struggling to even untie his skates. His right arm was useless. What if it stayed this bad, he wondered. He’d have to go home and lose out on everything. Wouldn’t Jake get a kick out of that? He’d probably move up and take his spot.
“How’s the arm, bud?” Trevor looked down at himwith obvious concern.
“It’s kinda hurting. Banged it … during practice.”
“I thought you got dinged up a bit. You seemed to have trouble carrying the puck. Why don’t you drop by the trainer’s room? It’s down the hall to the right. I’ll get you some ice.” He hesitated and said quietly, “Do you need some help getting undressed?”
He did — but no way he’d let the others see that! “I’m good. I’ll see you in a sec.”
Slowed by the elbow, he was the last player out. He walked to the
Charlie tried going in with one hand on the stick, holding the puck wide with his right hand. Usually, the defenceman went for the puck, and he’d slip it between his legs and step inside. This time the D ignored the puck completely and rode Charlie off to the side.
“Nice play,” Charlie said. He wasn’t sure but he thought his name was Nathan.
The compliment seemed to have surprised him. “Yeah, thanks,” he grunted in return.
As Charlie waited to go again, Trevor skated over to him.
“Hey, Charlie. Careful with that deke. You lose the puck in the neutral zone and your team will get punished on the counter attack. If the D doesn’t bite, bounce it outside and at least make sure the puck gets into their end — and take it hard, no soft moves.”
He slapped his shin pads and in two seconds was practically at top speed. Charlie marvelled at how effortlessly he skated. Trevor was right, though. These guys knew better than to look at the puck. When his turn came up, he was determined to follow Trevor’s advice. He used a spin move at the top of the circle and beat one defender to the outside, only the goalie came out strong and took away the angle and stopped Charlie’s snap shot to the short side.
Slogger was defending for the second one-on-one. Charlie took the pass and drifted into centre, faked left with his head, slowed slightly to throw Slogger off, and then broke it outside along the boards. Slogger carved on his edges frantically to head him off.
As he crossed the blue line, Charlie had to slow down to gather the puck, and that let Slogger spin to his left, and his hip just caught Charlie on the inside of his thigh. Charlie bounced off and his right elbow banged against the glass. He kept his feet moving, however, and with thepuck sitting about a foot from the boards, Charlie was able to gain the corner and cut towards the goalie, who’d drifted out to the top of the crease. Unfortunately, his elbow was throbbing and, distracted by the pain, he lost control of the puck trying to shovel it stick side with his backhand.
“Next time I won’t take it so easy on ya,” Slogger joked, as he turned and skated back to centre.
A sick feeling in his gut, Charlie coasted to a stop behind the forward’s line. Of course he had to lose his elbow pad and then smash into the boards in the first drill. He gingerly tried to extend his arm — and a shock wave spread up and down his arm.
The rest of the practice was a nightmare. The pain made it hard to shoot. He’d never been so relieved to hear a coach blow his whistle to signal the end of practice.
In the dressing room the typical horseplay ensued, tape balls whizzing though the air, and the guys dissing each other or bragging about some move or other.
“Zane, how’d it feel getting totally dangled on that one-on-one,” a kid named Richard teased.
Zane tilted his chin up. “Shut up, ya goof,” he shot back.
Charlie ignored them, struggling to even untie his skates. His right arm was useless. What if it stayed this bad, he wondered. He’d have to go home and lose out on everything. Wouldn’t Jake get a kick out of that? He’d probably move up and take his spot.
“How’s the arm, bud?” Trevor looked down at himwith obvious concern.
“It’s kinda hurting. Banged it … during practice.”
“I thought you got dinged up a bit. You seemed to have trouble carrying the puck. Why don’t you drop by the trainer’s room? It’s down the hall to the right. I’ll get you some ice.” He hesitated and said quietly, “Do you need some help getting undressed?”
He did — but no way he’d let the others see that! “I’m good. I’ll see you in a sec.”
Slowed by the elbow, he was the last player out. He walked to the
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