Face-Off by Matt Christopher

Author:Matt Christopher [Christopher, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Social Issues, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Winter Sports, Sports & Recreation, General
ISBN: 9780316095594
Google: QxkpGYh5kO0C
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2009-12-19T05:00:00+00:00

7

Coach Roberts pulled him off the ice and put in Vern Mitchell, the sub.

“Afraid of the puck hitting you, aren’t you, Scott?”

Scott’s heart was pounding. “I think so.”

“The fact is, the puck rises off the ice very seldom,” said the coach. “The way it’s hit prevents it from rising. Even when a guy pulls back his stick to give the puck a hard whack the chance for it to fly off the ice is slim. Better work on that, Scott. You saw what happened the other night during scrimmage. The boys caught on to your being puck shy. They scared you out of a play and scored. The Grayhawks will do the same thing the minute they catch on.”

“They probably did on that play,” said Scott softly.

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

At the ten-minute time the buzzer sounded again. The two lines went off the ice and Lines Three of both teams went on.

Fat McCay was center for Line Three. The Grayhawks’ center was a head taller than Fat, and about twenty pounds lighter. He looked as if he could skate circles around Fat.

But it was Fat who got the puck. Fat who passed it to a wingman. Fat who caught a pass down center ice, dribbled the puck past two defensemen, and then slapped it past the goalie for the first score of the game.

A thunderous shout, mixed with a hard banging of hockey sticks against the boards, sprang from the Golden Bears.

Fat was watched carefully after that. With a minute to go before the three minutes were up Fat tripped a Grayhawk with his stick. Even though he argued with the ref that he had not done it on purpose, he was sent to the penalty box for one minute.

The Grayhawks took advantage of the five-man team and tied the score, 1 to 1.

Line One couldn’t break the tie.

Line Two couldn’t, either. Scott was so worried that he might do what he had done before that the coach took him out after a minute and a half and put in Vern Mitchell.

“You’re worried about it, now, Scott,” said the coach. “You’ll have to settle down.”

When the next minute and a half was up, Lines Three of both teams got on the ice. This time it was Fat McCay again who scored, putting the Golden Bears ahead, 2 to 1.

The boys sucked on oranges in the locker room during intermission. Coach Roberts perked them up with a short speech, telling them that they “were doing a good job. After all, we’re ahead by one goal, and all they got against us is one. So what can I say? Fat, you’re doing fine. Just keep it up.”

The game resumed. It looked as if the first four minutes would go by scoreless until a surprise slap shot within the last thirty seconds made by the Grayhawks’ center, Jack Young, tied the score, 2 to 2.

“Okay, Scott,” said the coach as Lines Two went in, “keep your mind on the game. Don’t worry about the puck.

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