Winter of Discontent

Roleplay Library
21

OOC: Just putting the paddles to my threads, don’t mind me.

CLEAR

IC:

Summikalad Spektrum, Summikalad

Practice was another blur of new faces, as 5 more players had gone up. Misha and the management in South Coocoobad had decided that the composition of the Rams by season’s end would be about 50% of the players they’d started with. They were happy that not only were the first five callups doing well, but they’d seemed to spark other players into scoring, namely the star of the team, Rick Haith, who’d been playing poorly enough to earn a snub from the EPHC 5 team.

Automobilist had lost 2 of 3 to Kalibad, largely because of Misha’s suspension for using an illegal player, but it put them in third, two points out of second and five out of third. Misha hadn’t travelled with the team, even though the suspension didn’t rule that out, but he was back at it on Tuesday, so they worked on more drills. The lines kept flopping around too, so Tom Heinley had worked with a few different defence partners by about an hour in. They seemed to be building a little cohesion, but the weekend’s games would tell the tale.

22

Summikalad Spektrum, Summikalad

The arena had been full for the first time this year and the fans had been rewarded early. 10 miuntes into the second, they were up on archrivals Torpedo Salamkudush 3-0. Still, the euphoria hadn’t lasted long, as Gavrilovs passed it right to an opposing forward, who made short work of the giveaway, 3-1.

Misha immediately tapped Tom on the shoulder in his “Special” way, Tom had been somewhat amazed at how willing Misha had become to use fighting to fire up the team. Tom skated and not even touching, tried to get one of other defencemen to fight him. Sisoyev was a tall, thin, younger player and try as he might, Tom couldn’t get him to fight. He didn’t look light much of a fighter anyhow, so his own coach was likely telling him to keep discipline. Summikalad had three or four legitimate fighters now, Tom having started the trend. The first period ended 3-1.

The second period saw both teams trade good chances before Torpedo scored. Grucincev stared a fight with one of their defencemen and after a short battle, he knocked him down and was sent off. Still, the team was clearly tired from trying to turn 3-0 into a rout. It showed when Torpedo got a 3 on 2 the other way and made no mistake, to turn their great start into a 3-3 tie after 2 periods.

It was about 10 minutes before Automobilist put on some energy and Viktor Atonovich put in a rebound on a scramble in front. That eventually held up as the winner. Still, the win was bittersweet, as it should’ve been easier, going up early.

As they still had two games left, Tom decided to head back to the Globe early. He’d tried to find someplace more permanent, but hadn’t found much to his liking. He walked in just in time to see someone pull their leg out his window and notice his TV was missing. He doubled back towards the front door just in time to see a shadowy figure slink into a nearby alley. He called the police, who showed up after about forty-five minutes. They took down information from the owner mostly and then after confirming that he did indeed want to press charges, they walked away. The police drove off, but returned after about fifteen minutes, with the man they said had done it and the money from the TV. He hadn’t had the chance to spend it on drugs, or that was was the police said. He gave an insincere apology and was hurried away.

Even that didn’t prove to be the end of it, about 3:30 in the morning, Tom was awoken by the sound of breaking glass, followed shortly by the night manager running up the lone hallway of the hotel and shouting, before storming back down. The police arrived in about ten minutes this time, before collaring the man responsible, who oddly enough, was the same one as before. This time, the police were assuring the owner and everyone concerned that the thief would be sent to jail overnight this time. Tom was just walking back into his room when he heard a drunken gaggle stumble in. He wasn’t surprised when he recognized the voices and went back to sleep.

23

OOC: Look which thread I’ve been putting off!

IC:
The Rams turned the corner when they beat the Coocoobad Red Menace at home, 5-3. They had started to win games in shootouts. Jason had been playing well, scoring goals, among the top three forwards in the team. Coach Mike Flowers, who still had his job and would, as he’d gotten the thumbs up to last the rest of the year from the owners. He took the bus from home, in the Western Part of the city, not far from the Capitol, or #1 Avenue of Heroes, where the President lived, to the South Coocoobad Rams’ home rink, the South Coocoobad Arena. They would finish the season against the Wajax Winterhawks, who needed the game to lock up home ice in the playoffs. The Rams needed to win to clinch a playoff spot, either 8th or 7th.

The arena was full, but there was a catch. Management had decided that on days where either team in the city had a home game, they would play in the mid-afternoon, to maximize attendance, for those rich enough to go to both. The first two periods saw the Rams lead 4-2 after 40 minutes, but that gap closed. Flowers put the 2nd line out, to go get an insurance goal, after the Winterhawks made it 4-3. Jason went to the front of the net and a defenceman spotted him and passed the puck in his direction.

They had told Jason about the top corner during the video session, so he tried to shovel it in that direction and sure enough it was a goal. What happened next was incredible, Flowers sent him back out with the top line. Sure enough, his Martins Vyater spotted him again and another shot to the top corner made it 2 goals in 54 seconds. It was unreal. It got even more so when Blowers left them out, smelling blood. Sure enough, Martins spotted him with a pass in front of the net, one-time to the top corner, natural hat trick, 7-3, game over. Jason had a hat-trick against Dave Rawlins, the man who had won the East Pacific Championships with his solid goaltending. Jason had cut him apart in under two minutes. Not surprisingly, he was picked as first star, and got a good cheer when he came out into the entranceway of the bench. They were in, now to see against who?

They decided to head to the Golden Dragon restaurant to watch the game between the BSC Tornadoes and Red Menace, because it was across from the apartment complex where several of the callups had found places… If the Tornadoes won, they would likely face them, but it depended on how the team in front of them finished, as they could go into 6th.

During the first intermission of the TV game, Blowers stood up. He started handing out small trophies, to Rick Haith, for most points, Anthony Perella for most Assists and then Jason himself for most goals, as the three gave him 9 over the 18 game season, but he’d only played 12. The trophy had a small ram on it and he took it back to his table, to watch the end of the game.

In the end, it was BSC, so the next morning, Jason woke up around 7 and made his way to the airport, which was not far to go from his house, for the team’s charter to Starlight City. The cab pulled up, Jason got in and then, it happened. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” the cabbie asked him.
“Um, I’m not sure. I don’t think so.” Jason tried to play it cool.
“No…you’re Jason Pipkin! You had a natural hat trick last night!” The cabbie fumbled with three pennants hanging off his rearview mirror, putting the Rams one in front of the city’s other two teams. Jason switched from being shy to a little cocky. “Cant’ make up your mind?” he asked.
“No, I just like all the city’s teams. It’s a little easier since BSC and the Dragons moved away though.”
Jason was confused. “The Dragons used to play here too?”
The cabbie was back to old times. “Oh yeah, they played at the same arena as Intel and BSC, moved out to Anadahl for this year. Still the same old team though. That’s why they’re all done.” They pulled up to the Airport, the drive was only about three minutes at the right time. “That’s 24 gropeks 60. Hey, you give those turncoats up in Starlight a whipping, huh? It was really rotten the way they got snatched up by those Northerners all of a sudden.”
“We’ll sure try, take care.” He paid the man 30 and got out, changing places with another man in a similar suit. “Schultz Tower please……hey, was that Jason Pipkin?”
“Yeah! In my cab! Nine goals in Twelve games sir. Can you believe if he’d played the other six?”
“I know. I was actually dropping off clients from Wajax who we took to that game and they were not happy. Still, he plays like this in the playoffs, he’ll be home soon,” the banker said.
“Maybe he can take a few of ours with him?”
“Now wouldn’t that be nice. They play the Tornadoes, right?” the banker asked, as the cab melted into the rush hour on Airport Way.

24

South Coocoobad Arena

The mission was clear, after splitting the first two of a best of five on the road and losing at home, they needed two wins, one in each building, to take the first round series. Not an easy task. Still, after 40 minutes they’d been up to it, leading 1-0. Coach Mike Flowers gave them a speech where he said that “these are the kinds of games champions have to win.” Whether it would stick would be anyones guess. The crowd came back to life as they came out of the tunnel. In the broadcast booth, it was pretty clear what had to happen. “…they’re up by one, but they know they’re going to need another one here in the third.”

They traded excellent scoring chances, until Chris McAlpine tied the game for the Tornadoes. This would be it, the test of their character they’d waited all season for. Would they buckle under the pressure, or fight off the comeback?

For the time being, it was the second, as Martins Vyater scored on a one timer, with Jason right behind him to make it 2-1. But again, the Tornadoes, being the #2 team in the league, set up an attack and fired shot after shot until a rebound made it 2-2 with seven minutes left. Right off the faceoff, BSC hit the post, it would be that sort of ending. Jason heard the one minute announcement and jumped over the boards, before a whistle sent him off. Jason was caught off guard. Off? But he’d just gotten on.

For some reason, Mike Flowers went with the normal rotation of lines, which meant line 3. The Tornadoes had a man with the puck in the corner and when both defenders went for him, he put it into the slot where a teammate buried the one timer. A gift-wrapped goal, with only thirteen seconds left. Jason was sent back out, he got the puck with seven seconds left, passed to Martins, got it back, cut into the middle past a defender and shot.

The BSC Goaltender, Labbe, dropped into the butterfly and covered the puck, only the clock ran out before a whistle. It was all over. They’d been knocked out in four games, after winning the first. They shook hands in the long line. Jason really didn’t know any of his opponents too well, although the two defencemen he’d been against had looked him in the eye. When he got to the opposing coach, it was “good season kid, see you next year.”

Would he though? The thing was that his one year contract, purchased by the Rams had expired once the season ended. Flowers hauled him into the office and asked him to sign before the expansion draft, so they could protect him, otherwise he’d likely be taken by the new San Andreas team. Still, with the playoffs still going on both at home and in Coocoostan, not too many contracts would get sorted out.

Lakeshore Arena, Kalibad

The team had flown to Kalibad to start their Semi-Final series with the Kalibad Mustangs, The playoffs in the minors would start later, so they would finish at the same time as the CHLs. It would allow the networks to show the minor league games on off nights, and keep the two games a night going as well. It was win win, especially for the players. With the CPHL champion being promoted and the new team in San Andreas, it would mean about 40 more spots in the bigs. Of course, if they were CPHL champion, it wouldn’t matter. Needless to say, nobody complained with Misha kept them late to skate lines.

25

Summikalad Spektrum

Down Two games to none in a best of seven, the third game is all pressure on the team down 2-0. Go down 3-0 and you have to win four in a row, you get to hear how its only been done a ridiculously few times and that you should just quit now. They’d been up 2-1 late in the third, but the Kalibad goaltender hadn’t even made it to the bench for the extra man when the Mustangs had tied the game.

Misha swore at his team, quite loudly. He berated them for their lack of commitment, lack of focus, lack of energy. It was clear many of the players had shut him out. The great Misha Afanasenkov, couldn’t even muster his players to rally for overtime. Tom knew their backs were against the wall. He knew the first line would start OT, so he had to do something to rally them.

Overtime began with the crowd very quiet. They couldn’t cheer blindly, they knew their side was wounded and needed help. The Mustangs won the draw, the centre keeping the puck for himself. He skated in over the line and took a slapshot, which hit Tom’s defence partner, Lopatin, in the leg. He flicked the puck onto his stick and passed to Tom, who was facing the net. Tom did something he’d never done before. Quickly, without looking, he passed the puck towards the left side boards, as he turned to look, he saw Tsarik skating up the left wing. The play had turned quickly around Tsarik saw Kozybaev in the middle and passed it, only to get it back. He passed again for a one time shot and it went through Kozybaev’s legs and bounced off the boards toward the neutral zone. Lopatin raced to keep the puck from getting out and putting them offside.

“NO!” the linesman called it anyway, even though it wasn’t close. He passed to Kozybaev, who halfway up the boards, saw Tsarik breaking for the goal, without a defender following him. The Kalibad goaltender didn’t see him coming and moved across the goalmouth, overcompensating and leaving the far side of the net uncovered.

The noise when the light went on was the loudest anyone had ever heard. Tom turned and pointed towards the bench, letting them know it was their win just as much as anyone else’s. It had been just 21 seconds.

As the team walked off the ice, the fans continued to go. The team only made a little less noise, afterwards, Misha walked over to Tom and wordlessly patted his shoulder before walking off again. That was exactly what they had been working on. Tom’s Hockey Sense, or his understanding of the flow of the game, where teammates and opponents were likely to be and be headed had improved dramatically. He had known Tsarik would go where he’d been because he’d seen Lopatin looking toward him and knew that was what he liked to do. Tom had a grand total of three assists in what was now 29 games, but he was still a valuable contributor to the offence and unbeknownst to him, or basically anyone else, scouts from the San Andreas Stars had noticed and would be looking to see if his name came up during the expansion draft.