Rivals on Ice

Fans cheered as buses arrived at the arena.The first two buses were blue and had a drawing of an eagle on it. "Eagles! Eagles!Eagles!" They screamed as they ran to meet the players,each wearing Eagles jersey with different names and numbers. They had patiently waited for this day and it had finally arrived.A match between the best two teams. The first match of the regional finals . Eagles vs Wolves. The players got out of the bus and fans begun to take pictures. " Zane!" A fan shouted running to where Zane was . "Can I have an autograph?" He asked. Even before Zane started ,other fans sorrounded him screaming. As the eagles players were still taking pictures ,two other buses arrived and they had a drawing of a wolf. Wolves fans screamed rushing to where the bus stopped also wearing wolves jersey. Immediately the Wolves players walked out fans begun to take pictures. "Eagles are better than Wolves." A fan said. "Excuse me,Wolves are better than Eagles!Who is with me!" Another fan said ,and wolves fans raised their hands while shouting. A fight almost erupted when a security guard came and stopped it immediately. " Instead of starting a fight ,why don't we wait for the game and see the winners!" He said. " Yay!"The crowd cheered. "Clash of Titans!" A fan shouted. **** The players went to their locker rooms to prepare themselves. " Come together all of you." Wolves coach "Harry Miles" called onto them clapping his hands. "Are you ready for today!" He asked. " Yes!"The players responded. " This is gonna be tough,I'm sure you are aware Eagles is a tough team ,so you gonna give your best out there.Study them and when the opportunity comes, defeat them." He said. "Captain, do your best for your team." He finalized. On the other hand ,Zane encouraged his teammates. " We got this ,let's do our best ."He said. " Time to go"Philip Ray" Eagles coach said. The arena lights dimmed,and a spotlight swept across the ice as the announcer's voice thundered through the speakers. The crowd erupted into cheers. " Please welcome the officials for today's game." The referee and lines person's skated onto the ice to a round of applause. "And now ,,,,introducing the visiting team!" One by one ,the players emerged from the tunnel. "Wearing number 30 ,,,your starting goal tender Fabian Carter !" " Wearing number 4,,,, Defenseman James Linn!" " Wearing number 11,,Left wing Liam may!" "Wearing number 19,,,your starting center Mason grant." "Wearing number 12 ,, Right wing Noah Hayes!" And wearing number 9 ,,your team captain ,,Tyler Knox!" The captain raised his stick toward the roaring crowd before joining his teammates on the ice. "Leading the team behind Head Coach Harry Miles!" " And now some noise for your Home Team! Eagles!" The crowd explored as each players names was called out. Their names echoing through the arena while they skated onto the ice ,saluting fans. " Finally,the announcer paused . And now the heart of the team ,,,Your Captain Zane Brooks " Fans screamed his name. "Are you ready !" The arena shook with excitement. "We've got this !" Zane told his teammates as he tightened his gloves. They begun with some warm ups. Both the captains noticed each other.They stared at each other coldly, before looking away. Zane was stretching his neck when someone called him, loud enough. "Captain!" He turned. And there he was, grinning widely. "Watch your back." Tyler Knox said. He sighed with an icy glare. "You think you will win?" Tyler asked. " I don't just think. I will win. "Zane Brooks said. " Don't be so confident. "Tyler said. Before he could say anything back, the referee skated to the center holding the puck . He whistled and in a split of second the game had begun. Everything blurred into motion, skates sliced across the ice and bodies crashed. Tyler tightened his grip and held his stick firmly. " Pass! Block! wolves formation! "He called out to his team. He was too fast, breaking two defenders in a snap. He slammed into the boards and cut left, throwing a slapshot. Zane tried to block him but they slammed onto each other, and hit the ice hard. The whole crowd went silent. The whistle blew. "Penalty!" The referee shouted. They stayed there for a second breathing heavily. Elbows pressed. Too close. Too warm. " You are stronger than last season, "Tyler teased. "You actually call that defense?" He asked . Zane looked at him and didn't say anything. " Stop focussing on me, just be ready to lose ."Tyler said grinning. Zane just looked at him breathing heavily and stood. " Is that all you've got?" Zane asked and skated away. The whistle blew. The puck dropped. Jonathan, Eagles player took the puck immediately and moved speedily towards the net . A defender almost took the puck but he faked left and gave a wrist shot . The crowd burst into cheers and then followed by booing when the goalie catched the puck. Zane patted his back . "No giving up." He told him. Zane took the puck immediately it was dropped. " Behind you Captain!" A player shouted . Zane moved fast -too fast. The crowd explored. In a snap , everyone was celebrating. Tyler watched. He moved his neck right and left. The whistle blew . He stole the puck immediately from an Eagle's player,cut left, drove forward towards the goalie. Within seconds, there was another celebration. "Wolves!Wolves!Wolves!"The crowd cheered. Tyler's teammates came jumping and hugged him. "Great job captain!" One of his teammates said. He turned. His eyes met with Zane's. Zane smirked and looked away. The whistle blew and there was a line check.After that the puck dropped and the game continued. The rest of the game was chaos. It wasn't strategy anymore,it was obsession.Skates cut across ice like knives. Players being pinned against the boards.Others facing breakaways,and others placed in the penalty box. There was no space left to breathe. Every shift felt like war. Zane didn't just play. He performed.The crowd loved it. Tyler gave it all he had.He encouraged his teammates. The final buzzer echoed through the arena. The scoreboard glowed. Wolves 3- Eagles 3 A tie. Zane looked at Tyler and noticed his hair stuck slightly to his forehead as sweat trickled down. Tyler looked back at him with a serious look. None of the teams looked satisfied. " No winner."Leo, Zane's teammate said. "It's a neck and neck ,how?" Leo asked. " There is still a next time."Zane answered. " And I hope you will be prepared,"a voice interrupted from a distant. Zane turned and looked at Tyler and smirked . " Same to you captain."He said. Zane's teammates were leaving and he followed them. "Try keeping up next time, captain." Zane said. He skated towards the tunnel and left Tyler standing there. He could feel Tyler's gaze which made his chest feel tightened. **** Mr David Brooks " ,Eagles owner ,sponsor and Zane's Dad ,sat quietly at the owner's box. Philip Ray arrived and sat next to him. "He can do better."Mr David said and stood up. He adjusted his tie and sleeves ,"We must win the Finals."He exclaimed. " I'll prepare them the best way I can." Philip Ray answered. Mr David patted his shoulder. " I trust you,tell me if there is anything needed." He said. Philip Ray nodded as Mr David slowly and steady walked out. **** "How did we get a tie?" James asked bagging his locker. "Calm down,Eagles is a strong team,we are lucky to tie than being defeated." Tyler said. "So you are saying we are weak,right?" Fabian who was the goalie asked . " No ,that's not what I meant."Tyler said. " You actually said they are stronger,what does that mean then."Fabian said. " Will you stop,you also had one job to do but you didn't.A simple thing to catch the puck."James said defending Tyler. " Excuse me! I did my best,okay."Fabian said pushing James. James pushed him back," Don't touch me."He said. Fabian threw a punch and the rest of the teammates held them back. "If we want to prove we are stronger,we better train hard not fighting each other to ensure we win." Tyler said. "He is right,I don't want to see what I just witnessed again.We are a team.We encourage and support each other,Okay!" The coach came and said. "Yes!" They replied. **** " Damn ,they are our biggest arch rivals."Zane said. " I never expected them to be that good,"Jonathan said. " Anyway, all in all we did our best."Zane said. " For your great teamwork I'll be treating you to a meal tonight." Their coach entered and said. " Okay coach!"They responded. "That's it for today,you did great . Congratulations." He told them.