The Howling Timberwolves were up 5–2 against the Sabres. There were only a few minutes left in the game.
Johnny Maverick was in a bad mood. First, he had been pranked by a six-year-old girl. His fingers were still sore from the mousetrap. Then Stu had grossed him out in the dressing room. He had not yet scored a goal or made an assist. And worse, a guy named Dale on the Sabres team kept jabbing Johnny with his hockey stick whenever the referee wasn’t looking. Dale had jabbed Johnny in the ribs, the stomach and the back of the legs.
Now, with Tom Morgan about to take the face-off at center for the Timberwolves, Johnny and Dale as opposing wingers were lined up beside each other in the Timberwolves’ end. They waited for the ref to drop the puck.
“How about you quit the cheap shots with your stick?” Johnny said to Dale. Johnny leaned forward with his stick on the ice.
“How about you quit being such a princess?” Dale said. Dale placed his stick on the ice behind Johnny’s.
“Maybe if you were a good player,” Johnny said, “you wouldn’t have to cheat.”
“Maybe it’s fun,” Dale said.
The referee entered the face-off circle. His back was turned to Johnny and Dale.
Dale slid the blade of his stick up against the back of Johnny’s skates.
As the ref got ready to drop the puck, Dale pushed the stick blade hard, shoving Johnny’s skates forward. Johnny fell on his butt.
Dale laughed. Nobody but Dale and Johnny knew what had happened.
Johnny lost his temper. He jumped up and tackled Dale. Dale dropped onto his hands and knees and tucked his head into his chest like a turtle.
The referee pulled Johnny off Dale and gave Johnny a penalty. As Johnny skated to the penalty box, Dale laughed at him.
The Sabres scored a goal during the penalty. When Johnny skated over to the bench, Dale laughed at him again.
The game continued into last minute of play, with the Timberwolves still leading 5–3. Coach Smith walked down the bench to Johnny. Johnny expected Coach Smith to be mad.
“I saw what he did to you,” Coach Smith said. “I understand why you lost your temper. But that doesn’t mean you should jump on him.” Coach Smith pointed at the scoreboard. “He wanted you to get a penalty. And it was a good thing we were ahead by three goals, or you might have hurt the team.”
“Sorry, Coach Smith,” Johnny said.
“You’ll know better for next time, right? He is being a bad sport. You don’t need to be one too. You should always play so you can be proud of yourself.”
“Yes,” Johnny said, “I’ll remember that.”
The buzzer sounded to end the game. The score was Timberwolves 5, Sabres 3.
“Good,” Coach Smith said. “But even though we won, you will have to face him again tomorrow morning.”