The next day, real practices began. I sat in the penalty box with Doc as she watched the scrimmage that went on. The teams switched and the puck was moved nicely around…until a grey player took a cheap shot at Robbie McClanahan, who went down hard. The play stopped and everyone skated over to Robbie.
"What did you do that for?" asked a red player, as he looked at Robbie, who was holding his face on the ice.
"Nice hit OC," said some players from the bench as the other guy got a cocky smirk on his face.
"Better tell your boy to keep his head up and it won't happen…" he couldn't get out the rest of what he wanted to because Robbie was off the ice and punching him in the face. I loved Robbie, but he hated being put down, and he would always fight back. None of the players seemed to know what to do. I saw Jimmy come out of the net and take off his mask. I look over and saw my dad and Craig walking around the the group, just watching. I had to stop it. I couldn't see Robbie getting beat up and possibly kicked off the team for his rashness. I got up and quickly walked out on the ice and over to the fight.
"Katherine…," my father said sternly, but I ignored him.
"Robbie," I yelled as I grabbed his jersey. "Its not worth it…let…him…go!" I could see his face was bleeding. I was maing no progress as the two went at each other again, fists flying. Suddenly, I had help. Jim Craig pushed himself between the two, and pushed away Jack O'Calahan, the other player. I wrapped my arms around Robbie and used all my strength to pull him back.
"Hey," I said quietly, as I put my hands on his chest. He was staring angrily over my shoulder and breathing hard.
"Hey, I said again. "Its ok. Just forget it."
"That Boston jack ass," he said under his breathe. So that was it. Jack was from Boston, and there was a huge rivalry between Minnesota and Massachusetts. I wiped some blood from his face and he looked at me for the first time. He frowned and I could see tears of pain threatening to pour down his face. Robbie make act tough, but a few punches to the nose would make anyone start to tear.
"Thanks Katie…" he muttered so only I would hear him. I wanted to hug him, but I knew that would only embarrass him more.
"Who do you play for?" I heard my dad ask Jack, and only then realized he had been talking.
"University of Boston." I knew this was not the answer my dad wanted, but he then turned to Robbie. He looked at me for a moment, and I moved away from my friend.
"Robbie McClanahan, and I play for you here at the U." again, not the right answer.
"I'm Ralph Cox, I'm from wherever is not gonna get me hit…" there was laughter and over all the rest of practice went well.
"Katie!" I turned around and saw Robbie running toward me, with a slightly bandaged nose. "Do you wanna come down to the O'Riley's for a drink? I'm buying. Some of the other guys are going too. "
"Sure," I said, and we made our way down the street to the local bar. Considering I was only 20, Robbie got me a coke while he drank a beer. We were talking about hockey and other things when Mike "Rizzo" Eruzione came over. He was also from Boston, and a friend of Jack's, but he and Robbie seemed to get along fairly well.
"Katie," he said after a few minutes. "Some of the guys want to be introduced to you, but don't tell them it was my idea." He smiled and I immediately understood what he meant. We walked over to the table.
"Guys, this is Katie Brooks. Katie, this is Mark Johnson, Buzz Schneider, Ralph Cox, and Jimmy Craig. I shook each ones hands, and realized this was the first time I was formally introduced to Jimmy.