Face-Off Read Online Free PDF Page B

said the timekeeper. “Minute’s up.”
    Scott bolted out of the penalty box and onto the ice, determined not to let the puckget the best of him again. “Let’s get on the ball, huh?” said Del, glaring at him.
    Del’s words, and tone of voice, rattled him. Never had anyone bothered him as much as Del did.
    Even Fat’s “Come on, Scott! Let’s go!” didn’t affect him half as much. And it was only because it was Del who, with Skinny,
     had asked him to join the Golden Bears, thinking that he would be a great help to the team. Instead, he was a burden.
    But he wouldn’t quit. No one was going to call him a quitter. Even if I never become the good hockey player Del had expected
     me to be, I’ll never quit, he promised himself.
    He stayed behind the blue line at the right side of the rink, waiting for the puck to come his way. For thirty seconds Bernie,
     Skinny, Del, and Joe were fighting for control of the puck against the five Grayhawks. SuddenlySkinny got it and dribbled it hard behind the net. Grayhawks scampered after him from both sides. Just as one of them was
     about to poke-check the puck Skinny banked it against the boards. Del intercepted it, sped toward the net, and slammed it.
     The Grayhawk goalie fell in front of it for a beautiful save.
    Scott saw Vern Mitchell come onto the rink and skate hard toward him.
Here I go,
he thought.
    He skated off the ice.
    “You’re worried about doing the same thing,” said the coach as Scott sat down. “You’ll just have to work on it, buddy. It’s
     the only way.”
    The buzzer announced the end of the three minutes and the lines went off, replaced by Lines Three. Fat almost shot one in
     after forty seconds of play, but the Gray-hawk goalie caught it with his gloved hand.
    The Grayhawk center, Jack Young, got control of the puck at face-off and dribbled down center ice. Just as Del swooped upon
     him to poke-check the puck, the Grayhawk hit it and sent it flying like a rocket through space. It grazed past goalie Steve
     Hatrack’s ear for a goal.
    Grayhawk sticks boomed against the boards. They were ahead, 3 to 2.
    The Golden Bears fought hard to tie it up, but couldn’t. At the end of the game the Grayhawks won, 3 to 2.
    In the locker room Scott hurried to get his skates off and his shoes on. He didn’t want anyone reminding him of his trouble.
    But someone did. Del Stockton.
    “I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it,” he said. “You… a great skater… puck shy!”
    “I can’t help it,” said Scott, his heart pounding.
    He got up and started out.
    “I just can’t believe it,” said Del, staring after him.
    Scott glared at him. “I heard you!” he cried angrily. “Now leave me alone, will you?” He left the building.
    Dad and Mom talked about his problem at home. “Why can’t he wear a mask?” suggested Mom.
    “Oh, Mom.” Scott glowered. “None of the other guys wear masks. Only the goalie. I’ll get over it.”
    Mom looked reflectively at Dad, as if she were wondering whether Scott would or not.
    “It’s a peculiar reaction,” explained Dad. “And I agree with Scott. If he’s determined to get over it, he will.”
    Thanks, Dad, he thought.
    He rested after dinner, then telephoned Skinny and asked him if he’d like to play shinny at the ice pond.
    “Sure,” said Skinny. “I’ll bring some guys with me. Okay?”
    “Okay,” said Scott.
    He walked to the frozen pond above the falls, taking along his hockey stick and puck. Cathy went along. They had walked half
     a block when a shout came from behind them. Pete Sewell came running up, carrying his skates over his shoulder.
    “Hi!” he greeted. “I saw your game this morning, Scott. You played pretty well.”
    “Right,” said Scott. “Just pretty well.”
    Skinny, Fat, Steve, and three other guys showed up at the pond, and they chose up sides for a game of shinny. Skinny and Fat
     did the choosing.
Watch,
thought Scott,
I’ll be the last one chosen.
    They used a