Making the Cut

by David Skuy

  His buddy Burnett spoke next. “I’m with J.C. on this. I think he should be eligible.”

  A half-smile played across Clark’s face. His head tilted to one side, he closed his eyes slightly and nodded a few times. “Before another ten of you ask, I will discuss this with the other coaches. Give me a minute, please.”

  Clark huddled with the coaches, and Jen and Trevor joined them too.

  Nick and Scott gathered around Charlie.

  “I thought you should’ve been tossed out of camp, but I didn’t want to say it because we’re friends,” Scott said.

  “That’s a weird coincidence, because I wanted Scott kicked out,” Nick said.

  Charlie was grateful for their attempt to lighten the mood, and he laughed. Savard, Burnett, Gabriel and Simon came over.

  “Thanks for the support, guys,” Charlie said, feeling a bit awkward about the whole thing.

  “You deserve to play,” Simon said emphatically.

  Slogger, Pete, Richard, Nathan, James and a few other guys from Teams 1 and 2 joined them too, and soon they were all joking around, Scott and Nick leading the way, naturally. Charlie did notice another smaller group of guys had formed around Jake and Zane. He could guess what they were talking about.

  Things got fairly loud as time passed and at first no one heard Clark trying to speak. A piercing whistle interrupted their conversations.

  “Thanks, Jen. I wish I knew how to do that,” Clark said, laughing. “And now, gentlemen, would you please take your seats.”

  They laughed politely and sat down.

  “We had an interesting discussion to be sure,” he said. “One thing I am emphatic about is not being afraid to change my mind. Sometimes I think referees refuse to reconsider a call because they fear that will lead to players or coaches questioning every call they make. I see their point, but a bad call is a bad call.

  “In that spirit, we have decided that after hearing the opinions of the players who have had the courage to speak out in Charlie’s defence, and considering their objections to our decision, I am prepared to reinstate Charlie for the Challenge Game.”

  The players around Charlie clapped and cheered, and Scott and Nick and a bunch of others gave him a high-five.

  Clark held his hands up again, and they settled down. “With that bit of unpleasantness behind us, we can move on to more important matters — namely, announcing the lineup.” Jen handed Clark a clipboard. “When your name is called, come up beside me, please.”

  He started calling out names. Jake’s name was called, which got a reaction. His friends cheered, but Charlie noticed a few guys shaking their heads. Nick got called, and Charlie hooted and hollered along with Scott and Slogger. Then Slogger got the call, and Charlie flashed his new friend a big thumbs-up. Corey’s name was announced, and his roommate threw his fist in the air. He looked ready to explode, he was so happy.

  “… and, last but not least, Charlie Joyce.”

  He felt Scott push him forward. Clark beckoned with his head for him to join the others. A rousing cheer sounded, and not just from his friends this time. He tried not to blush. He also didn’t trust his legs, and was grateful when he found himself standing next to Slogger without having tripped over anything.

  Clark raised an arm. “I give you your Challenge Game players. Let’s give them a cheer for this accomplishment.”

  Coach Miller led everyone through three Hip, hip, hoorahs.

  “Isn’t this the coolest?” Slogger said.

  Charlie had to agree.

  21

  FORMIDABLE FOE

  Charlie circled the net and pushed hard to the blue line in an effort to slow the butterflies in his stomach. A quick meeting had followed the announcement of the Challenge Game rosters where Miller and Binns drafted the teams. Charlie ended up on Binns’ team; and, intentionally or not, Miller took Jake. The next morning, his team met with Coach Binns to go over the lines and some basic strategy. He was stoked when Binns announced he’d be centring a line with Simon and Gabriel. Then the team was asked to come up with a name. After a few bogus suggestions, someone called out the Sharks, and no one objected. It turned out Miller’s team wanted a dangerous name too and chose the Cobras, so it was going to be the Sharks versus the Cobras.

  “Charlie, come here for a sec.”

  At the Sharks’ bench, Binns and Corey waved. Charlie glided over and leaned an elbow against the top of the boards.

  “We need a big game out of you two. I figure J.C. and Jake will generate most of the Cobras’ offence. Both are excellent players, very fast, great shots, and instinctive scorers. Be aware of J.C.’s creativity with the puck. We can’t afford to let him control the puck in our end. Get on him fast and try to keep the puck off his stick. As for Jake, he’ll try to overpower you if he can. Focus on positioning, and keep your feet moving. He’s a tough customer in close, so make sure you keep yourself between him and our net.”

  “Got it, Coach,” Corey responded. “We’ll shut them down, and pop in a couple too. This is when the hard work pays off. You can count on us.”

  “I like your confidence,” Binns said.

  Corey grinned and slapped Charlie on the back.

  “So can my line start?” Corey said. “We’re totally ready to get on the forecheck and bang some bodies. Do you mind, Charlie? Thanks, roomie,” he said before Charlie could respond.

  “Let’s be sure to stay calm,” Binns said.

  It seemed to Charlie that Binns was speaking to Corey.

  “I’ll make adjustments as needed. Why don’t you go finish your warm-ups.”

  “You got it,” Corey answered for the both of them.

  Charlie pushed off, looking for a puck to take a few shots on net. He’d barely moved when a stick slapped his shin pads.

  “I’ve got mega-energy today,” Corey said. “The batteries are totally charged. I’ll be taking a little extra time on each shift to grind J.C. and Jake down. That’ll make sure you’re fresh.” Corey tapped his shin pads again. “You’ll do fine, Charlie. It’s only natural to be nervous. I’ve been here before, and played in lots of big games. Leave the hard work to me.”

  He whacked Charlie’s pads a third time and skated off.

  The ref blew his whistle and the players skated to their benches.

  “Let’s have Corey’s line out first,” Binns announced. Charlie took a seat next to Simon and Gabriel to wait — and wait he did. True to his word, Corey stretched the shift and stayed out for almost two minutes. By the time Charlie finally got on, his linemates had come off and he had to shift up too.

  It became obvious early on that Corey was having trouble keeping up with Savard. He was obviously fit, but the skill level made it a bit of a mismatch. On one play in the Sharks’ end Savard slipped the puck between Corey’s legs and then flung a saucer pass across the crease to a wide-open Cobras player. Only a helpful goalpost kept the puck out. The Cobras players changed up after that, as did Corey’s wingers, and again, Corey stayed out as promised, leaving Charlie to cool his heels on the bench. Fortunately, the ref whistled the play down on an offside and Corey had to come off.

  “Change up a little faster there, Corey,” Binns called out.

  Corey nodded to Charlie as he came off, but didn’t say anything.

  Charlie hunched over for the draw. Jake was a formidable centre, very strong and hard on the puck. He knew from experience that Jake often used his size and strength in the faceoff circle, not to mention the occasional cross-check. Surprisingly, the only thing Jake used his stick for was to try to draw the puck to his defence. Charlie was a hair quicker, however, and the puck went spinning back to the Sharks’ left defenceman.

  Charlie held Jake up slightly to give his defenceman time to move the puck, which he did by swinging it wide to his defence partner. Charlie cut deftly up the middle and promptly received a hard pass two feet past the blue line. An opposing winger challenged. Charlie saw it coming and cut inside to get the angle, then flipped it wide to
a streaking Gabriel flying up the wing.

  Simon came off the left side calling for a pass, and Gabriel didn’t disappoint. Meanwhile, Charlie hightailed it to the far side vacated by Simon. It was a three-on-two, although Jake and his linemates were hustling back. They wouldn’t have much time for a play.

  Simon seemed to agree. A left-handed shot, Simon veered that way with the puck on his forehand, drawing both defencemen over. Charlie drove for the net, which forced the defenders to hesitate. That gave Gabriel the opportunity to get behind the defenceman on the right side. Simon whipped the puck across his body. Before the defenceman had a chance to react, the speedy winger was in alone.

  Gabriel faked left, then right, dropping the goalie to his knees. He had an easy forehand up high, Charlie thought. Instead, he slid it across to Charlie. It was a totally unselfish play. Charlie banged the puck past the goalie’s outstretched pad.

  The players in the stands went wild, clapping and banging the back of their chairs.

  “Great follow up,” Simon said, slapping the top of his helmet.

  Gabriel tapped each player on the mask. “Good hustle, boys. That was a sweet.”

  The Cobras changed forwards, and Corey hopped over the boards.

  “What’s with the quick shift?” Simon growled.

  Charlie had only been out thirty seconds because of Corey’s extra-long shift. He didn’t see the point of complaining, however, and headed to the bench.

  Savard won the draw back to the left defenceman, who one-timed it off the boards to his winger. He sent it spinning into the Sharks’ zone as his linemates gave chase on the forecheck.

  “You’ve barely had a chance to stretch your legs,” Simon said to Charlie on the bench. “We pop one in and that clown comes bouncing over.”

  Gabriel spit some water over the boards. “I still think Duncan deserved the fourth centre spot. Corey’s a solid player, don’t get me wrong; and the guy’s fit —”

  “But he’s got hands of stone,” Simon cut in.

  “He got invited last year —” Charlie began.

  “I played in a tournament against him last season,” Simon interrupted. “The guy was almost as big then as he is now. He used to overpower everyone. I say he’s peaked, though. Now others are catching up in size. Like I said, he’s got the hustle and the heart — but the skill’s not there.”

  “Look at that,” Gabriel interjected.

  Savard had snagged a loose puck at the far boards. When Corey moved in to forecheck, the slick centre spun to his right and rolled around him. At the hash marks he let a slapshot go that caught the top left corner.

  “Charlie, you gotta cover Savard,” Gabriel stated bluntly. “Corey can’t handle him. Coach doesn’t make the move, we’re done.”

  Binns patted the three linemates on the helmet. “We need that goal back. Get ready to change up.”

  He didn’t necessarily disagree with Gabriel, but it was hardly his place to say that. He hopped the boards and skated to centre for the faceoff. Jake had already set up.

  “Centreman, put your stick down, or I’ll drop the puck,” the ref barked.

  That snapped him out of his fog. Too much time had been spent thinking about Corey. He’d done enough damage. Now the time had come to focus on Charlie Joyce.

  22

  PICTURE PERFECT

  As the game continued, it became clear that Gabriel had been right. Savard and Jake were starting to get the better of Corey — in the faceoff circle, on the forecheck and in the Cobras’ end. It was even becoming a bit of a joke on the bench, in whispers and cruel quips. Charlie thought Corey simply needed to relax. He was trying so hard that he was giving the puck away and making bad passes. At the end of the second period the score stood 3–2 for the Cobras. Gabriel had potted a wraparound for the second Sharks marker.

  Binns called his team to huddle up. He didn’t look too happy. “We seem to be having a hard time generating any pressure. We’re lucky that it’s still close — we can thank our goalie for that. Best we shake things up a touch. Charlie, I want to match you up with Savard. When he comes out, I want you and your line out there.”

  Corey stared hard at Charlie before taking a seat on the bench.

  Savard was waiting for Charlie at centre.

  “I had a feeling I was gonna see more of you this period,” Savard said.

  “I was waiting for you to slow down,” Charlie joked.

  The tireless star grinned and leaned over for the faceoff. The ref dropped the puck awkwardly and it skidded to one side. Charlie pounced on it, and Savard was right on him. Simon and his counterpart moved in also. A wild scrum developed, with the players in the stands screaming encouragement as they battled for puck possession.

  Charlie was the one who managed to knock it free to his defenceman. Savard forced the defenceman to get rid of the puck wide right. Gabriel knocked the bouncing puck to the ice while pushing back against the Cobras left winger. Charlie gambled on Gabriel’s puck skills and scooted up the boards. Gabriel didn’t let him down. He swung around and fired a nifty carom off the wall and onto Charlie’s stick.

  He took the pass skating backwards, then spun around and weaved his way towards the blue line. A quick glance told him Savard was hustling back. For a second he was tempted to try to split the defence. But then he remembered Trevor’s advice back at the beginning of camp: never turn the puck over in the neutral zone — get it deep! He hesitated with the puck, swerved a step to his left to give Simon and Gabriel a chance to build up speed, and then dumped it into the left corner. No way he’d give Savard a chance to counterattack on a turnover.

  That’s how it went for most of the third period. Each team settled into a rhythm and worked equally hard at both ends of the ice. Scoring chances were few and far between. Savard and Charlie battled each other to a standstill. Corey did a little better against Jake and for the most part held his own. Unfortunately, with about three minutes to play, Jake tapped in a rebound from close in to give the Cobras a two-goal cushion.

  As the game wound down, Charlie had the puck near the wall at his own blue line. Gabriel hovered near the Sharks’ bench, and Simon was stationary at the red line. With the lead, Savard held back so as not to get caught up ice. For practically the first time, he had some free ice ahead of him, and Charlie decided to take advantage.

  He fired the puck to Simon and took off up the side. “Right back, Si,” he yelled.

  Simon led him perfectly and Charlie stormed over the red line.

  “I’m with ya, Charlie.”

  That was strange. Sounded like Corey. Charlie did a double take. Corey had taken Gabriel’s place. Corey would do what he always did — go hard outside and try to cut to the net. The defenceman would head him off and the play would be done. That decided it. Charlie faked the pass and drove between the two defenders. Before they sandwiched him Charlie slid a soft backhand around the right defenceman’s skates, and with only his right hand on the stick jumped sideways to the outside. The defender stuck out his hip and Charlie barely avoided a punishing check, almost losing an edge. At the last second, he was able to regain his balance and find the puck.

  The noise from the stands spurred him on. Forget the score, he thought. Time for his A-move. He’d been working on it in practice. Drop the puck to his right skate, and kick it back to his forehand. Suddenly, a voice called out to ruin the moment.

  “Charlie. Over. I’m here.”

  Corey’s stick smacked the ice.

  “Use me. Use me.”

  He’d look like a hog if he didn’t pass. Charlie took the puck to the outside post to sell it and when the goalie drifted over, he backhanded a pass to Corey. The goalie stuck out his left pad in desperation. The entire upper net was open. All Corey had to do was slow down and snap it home.

  Instead, he one-timed it directly into the goalie’s pads. Charlie had already raised his stick. Groaning, he returned dejectedly to the bench.

  “What were you thinkin’, Joyce?” Simon
said with a smirk.

  “May as well pass it into a black hole,” Gabriel laughed.

  Charlie took a sip of water. “Game’s basically over. Doesn’t matter.”

  “Not yet, it ain’t,” Gabriel said. “We should get one more shift. We gotta make it count. Time for one more goal.”

  “Time for two,” Simon stated.

  Charlie stifled a laugh. These two weren’t joking. He drank some more water, and checked out the time. Two minutes left. Maybe there was time — if he could get Corey off.

  Charlie rose to his feet. Burnett had beaten Corey to a puck at the blue line, and then, displaying his amazing athleticism, banked it off the wall and raced around the centreman to gather it up.

  “Get ready, boys,” Charlie said. He wanted those two minutes. “Corey, change ’em up. Come on.”

  Corey looked over, startled by the command. He shook his head. But Charlie’s desire to play was overwhelming. He had to get out there, even at the risk of a too-many-men on the ice penalty.

  “Corey, change up,” Charlie bellowed, and he leapt onto the ice and joined the play.

  Burnett had taken the puck deep into the Sharks’ zone. Charlie raced towards the goal, hoping Corey had listened. The Cobras had two players in front, with the defenceman waving his stick trying desperately to cover both. Burnett recognized the mismatch and sent a hard pass to the player in the high slot. Charlie threw himself headlong, stick extended, and managed to nick the puck to the right boards.

  The Cobras player grunted in surprise.

  Charlie popped up on his left knee and stuck out his right skate to stop himself from sliding into the boards. “I’ve got the guy in the high slot,” he yelled at his defenceman.

  He nodded, and put a body on the other Cobras forward and pushed him to the side. That gave Charlie time to assess the situation. The Cobras’ left defenceman had hammered the puck down along the wall to Burnett. He had his back to a Sharks defender and was working his way towards the hash marks. Jake was stationed to the side of the net. They were going to cycle the puck and take time off. Both were skilled and powerful players. The Sharks might not get the puck back until it was too late.