I understand the last chapter was a little—"crazy whistle"—strange, but I wasn't on pot or Jack Daniels or anything. It was sort of all based on some real situations I've witnessed. The incoherent conversation in the middle was spirit day at my high school, a skit from the 80's. Now how the girl really dislocated her arm was this other chick got up and tripped over a book bag and hit her arm, but there are no Becky's in this story so I had to make due with a china closet...sorry. No more crack-baby chapters then okay? This one's a little shorter

The next day is was US vs. Sweden. The boy were doing alright, but alright was nowhere near good enough. If they didn't beat or tie the Swedes in this game there was even less chance of them getting to the medal round then there had been before, which Nikki had heard, was nearly impossible. Robbie was hurt; Doc took him out to the locker room a few minutes before the buzzer.

Nikki followed her dad and Coach Patrick out to the locker room where they met Doc.

"What's the deal with Mac," Herb asked.

"Upper leg contusion," Doc answered. "I think he's done for the night."

"What if he plays?" her father asked.

"I don't understand," Doc went on.

"If he plays on it," Coach Brooks insisted. "Can he hurt it any worse?"

"Well no," Doc answered in confusion. "But it will be very painful for him, and he won't be able to do very much."

"You're not going to play him?" Nikki started trying to keep up with her father.

"Why not?" He asked.

"But he's got an upper leg...thingy," she insisted unsurely.

"I thought you were all for the suffering of Robbie MacClanahan?" Her father went on. Nikki stopped dead as her hands flew to her head.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself.

The term 'Uh-oh' was the only thing on Nikki's mind as she followed her father into the locker room.

"This is ridiculous, you guys are playing like this was some throwaway game up in Rochester," he started angrily. "Who are we playing, Rammer?"

"Sweden," Rammer answered.

"You're damn right, Sweden," Herb shot, as he flung over the table in the middle of the room. "In the Olympics!" Yep there he was, set on Homicidal-Herbie again. Coach Brooks directed his attention over to Robbie, who was stretched out along the bench with an ice pack over his leg.

"What're you doing," he shot. "Put your gear on."

"Doc said I can't play," Mac defended.

"You got a bad bruise," Coach mocked. "You know what, put your street clothes on; I don't have time for quitters."

"Come on Herb," Rizzo interceded. "No one's quitting here." Nikki shook her head in disgrace as her boyfriend practically volunteered himself to be Herb's lightning rod of hate.

"You worry about your own game," Coach shot at him. "Plenty there to keep you busy." Nikki grimaced with the thought: 'Harsh dad,' as Rizzo sunk back crest fallen. "A bruise on the leg is a helluva long way from the heart, you candy ass."

"What'd you call me," Mac shot, throwing the ice to the floor angrily.

"You heard me," Herb shot at him.

"You want me to play on one leg?" Mac yelled hobbling over.

"I want you to be a hockey player!" Herb returned.

"I am a hockey player!" Mac screamed at him. "I've been playing hockey for you for four years." He went for the Coach as Herb turned his back on him. Mark Johnson and Rammer had to hold him back as he went on yelling. "You want me to play on one leg! I'll play on one leg!"

"That's get 'em going," Herb started as he passed Coach Patrick.

"Oh yea," he agreed with a wry smile. "I'll clean up." Nikki laughed, looking at her father.

"He is going to kill you," she said with a smile. "He is literally going to kill you."

The beginning of the third period Mac was out on the ice, smacking around some steroid raged Swede. A lot of the guys were shouting encouragement from the bench as the puck zoomed back and forth. Nikki shuddered as Mac was checked hard into the boards. There were down to the final seconds of the game as her father pulled Jimmy out, and sent Mark in.

"Come on Johnson," Nikki shouted after him, as Jimmy pulled his mask next to her. She tore her eyes away from the game and leaned over back to check out his hind quarters. She was surprised and bothered to find them not as interesting as the hockey game.

"What are you doing," Jimmy asked suddenly.

"Just admiring the stitching," she started, tracing the number on his back.

"Please stop," he asked desperately.

"Sure thing Craig," she answered. 'Craig?' she thought to herself, since when have I called him Craig?

Now Buzzy was fighting for the puck, he kicked it loose, out to Baker, who took a shot. An easy save for the Swedish goalie, but the puck came back out to Johnson who took a shot, and scored.

The buzzer sounded and the team went nuts. Nikki was jumping up and down on Rizzo, and Jimmy and anyone else she could reach.

"That was one hell of a move," Brooks started. "I didn't see him."

There was a press conference that night that Herb had to attend. Everyone wanted to talk to the players, but he said no. Nikki was there, but she wasn't allowed on camera, or to talk to the reporters. She figured her father didn't want her to say anything stupid about her and Rizzo being together. That would certainly make headlines.

Czechoslovakia was considered the second best team in the world, next to the Soviets. But the American team was more than equal to the task throttling them 7 to 3.

At the conference that night the reporters wanted to see the players again, specifically Jimmy, and again Herb said no. He told them that they were going to be a team on the ice, and off it.

At the next game they played Norway. Buzzy scored the winning goal in the final few minutes. It was like; at every game they held back and held back until the very end when they just blew everyone's mind.

Once more the reporters were attacking Coach Brooks. They must have really wanted to see those boys. Nikki knew it hadn't phased her dad one bit until one of the reporters stood up and asked: "Well how do you respond to people who say you're just doing this to keep the spotlight on yourself?"

Their next game was against Romania. This time Bill Baker scored the winning goal. And with every win they were getting closer and closer to the medal round they got closer and closer to that inevitable game against the Soviets.

That night the reporters got their wish and then some. The whole team showed up at the press conference with Coach Patrick1. The press went mad.

"Where is Coach Brooks?" One reporter got up to ask.

"Uhh...Herb is unprepared for tomorrow's game," Craig started.

"What are you taking about," O.C. interrupted. "The guy just wants some down time with his family. He can't spend some time with his wife and kids?" Craig gave him a look, as the next question was shouted out:

"Where is Captain, Mike Eruzione?" The boys looked around in confusion mumbling among themselves. "Where's Rizzo?"

"What is with these people," Jack started. "We're here, you'd think that's be good enough. No, Where's Herb, where's Rizzo?Jesus Christ." Silky leaned into the microphone.

"Uhh, we don't know," he said in confusion.

1 My mom gave me this idea in the movie theatre the first time I saw this. I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen.