The Meaning of Hockey, Chapter 23

The Totems played the game that night against the Red Deer Rebels with only four defencemen and nine forwards. Mike Webster was the only one of five new players who didn't make it to his new team. The 17-year-old needed to make arrangements for his schooling that would take at least another day.

Bobby was especially pleased that Billy Weldon had agreed to drive up to Red Deer and play goal, at least to test his reaction to the inevitable pressure. Neither Billy nor his father made any commitments beyond the game itself. And Bobby had assured them that if Billy did not enjoy himself, he could leave at any time.

The kid seemed nice, actually a bit of a surprise, as Bobby had expected a brooding, dour personality and instead Billy was more of a joker than a worrier.

"The jokes are a way of releasing the tension he feels," his father said. "The psychiatrist suggested it would be a good idea. I hope you don't mind."

"I think it's great," said Bobby.

As for the other three new players, Bobby managed only a few minutes each with Kevin Buckinghorse and Sam Lalli. Paulo Vicente arrived in a taxi from the Calgary airport a half an hour before game time. First impressions were that Buckinghorse was quiet, introspective and had trouble making eye contact, like many First Nations people. Lalli was high-strung, nervous and talkative. In a ten-minute conversation he told Bobby all about growing up East Indian in Merritt, how his family worked in the lumber business, how hockey was his way out and so he wanted to be the first Sikh star in the NHL.

As the game began, Bobby was thinking that so far he liked his new players. Each had strong personalities, but at least they were not bland. He was tired of conformity.

There hadn't been time for lengthy speeches or in-depth discussion, instead the coaches scrambled to come up with line combinations. Bobby preferred it this way because he'd have a chance to see the new guys play before deciding how each would fit in.

For the opening face-off, Sam Lalli and Joe Penny were on defence with Kevin Buckinghorse at center, Jonathan Chang at left wing and Jean-Claude Ryan on the right side.

Second line was Blair Kiniski, Vaclav Chedomansky and Paulo Vicente. Third line was Arvind Baines, Paul Sakic and Nick Segovic. Second defensive pairing was Alphonse Picard and Sam Rabinovitch.

Red Deer's strategy was immediately clear. The Rebels came out tough and dirty. A penalty-filled game was to the advantage of the team with a full complement of players. Rather than go after the puck on the opening face-off, the Rebel center gave Buckinghorse a two-handed chop across the right ankle. Chang, a feisty 16-year old who was only five-foot ten immediately crosschecked the perpetrator of the crime. Both were given two-minute minor penalties.

Out went the Totems' second line and Bobby whispered into Kiniski's ear as he went on the ice, "To Vicente, in the slot. Give him a chance for a one-timer."

Kiniski won the face-off back to Lalli, who immediately took off up ice. He made it about eight feet past the Red Deer blue line before dropping the puck back to Chedomansky, who passed it across the ice to Kiniski. Sure enough, Vicente headed straight for the high slot and as Kiniski pulled two defenders with him towards the left corner, Chedomansky crashed the net, creating space for his fellow winger who set up and received a pass in exactly his sweet spot from Kiniski. Slam, bam, the twine twitched and it was 1-0 Vancouver.

During the ensuing celebration, a Red Deer player slashed Lalli behind his right skate and the new Vancouver defenceman immediately retaliated with a glove to the face. Of course, the referee never saw the initial infraction and as the puck came back to center ice Red Deer was on a power play.

The Rebels had seven quick shots on net and Billy Weldon stopped every one of them. And that was only the beginning of a performance that surpassed any Bobby had seen in almost 40 years of organized hockey. The Totems played with three defencemen for most of the first period because Lalli picked up another minor and a ten-minute misconduct for questioning the call. As a result, Weldon stopped 32 shots in the period, a total that would be on the high side for an entire game. The kid was not exactly acrobatic. In fact, he looked somewhat less than graceful, but he had a gift of knowing exactly where the puck was going at all times and he was quick enough to get between it and the goal line. While he used all parts of his body, in a semi-flopping style, what was most impressive were Weldon's hands. He caught pucks and he blocked pucks and he did it while standing, on his knees, flat on his back or splayed about the ice like a squashed spider. At least four times Red Deer players were celebrating goals before they realized that Weldon had somehow magically picked the black flattened orb out of the air.

At one point near the end of the period, after a series of four rapid-fire almost impossible saves, defenceman Sam Rabinovitch came back to the bench for a quick breather and said to Bobby, who had patted him on the back: "He is amazing. Doesn't seem humanly possible."

"The kid is good," answered Bobby. "He knows how to concentrate."

"You know how he does it?" said Rabinovitch. "Watch how he turns to the net and draws a rectangle with his glove hand each time there's a whistle."

Sure enough, Weldon was turned away from play, making a drawing motion with his glove hand.

"What is it?" said Bobby.

"What's he doing?" asked Chang who sat in the spot beside Rabinovitch.

"Told me the net was his canvas and he painted images on it between the play. These images speak to him, telling him where the puck is headed."

"Cool," said Chang.

"He's a painter," said Bobby and he immediately knew Weldon had a nickname. "Picasso."

"He's fucking painting a masterpiece out there, as far as I'm concerned," said Rabinovitch.

"Fucking eh," said Chang. "Picasso."

The score was 1-0 Vancouver at the end of the period and some of the Red Deer fans gave Picasso a standing ovation, although a few of the hecklers screamed that he couldn't keep it up and just wait until next period.

As the team clomped and banged their way into the Visitor's dressing room, Bobby pulled Weldon aside.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good," said the goalie.

"You having fun?" said Bobby.

"Ya," said Weldon.

"You like talking between periods or you like to be by yourself?" said Bobby.

"Talking is good, but not about the game," said Weldon.

"Something to keep you relaxed?"

"Ya," said Weldon.

"How about painting and art?" said Bobby. "I hear you're interested in that."

"Love it," said Weldon.

"Okay, great, I got just the guy for you to sit beside," said Bobby as he pointed at Chang.

"Rookie."

Chang, the only 16-year old on the team, quickly came over to Bobby.

"This is Jonathan Chang. Billy Weldon."

They nodded at each other.

"Chang told me how much he's interested in art, but he doesn't know too much about it, right?" said Bobby.

"Right," said Chang, hesitantly agreeing with his coach.

"Why don't you take this spot next to Weldon and he can tell you all about his favorite artists and why he likes them," said Bobby. "Sound good?"

"Sounds great coach," said Chang.

"Okay coach," said Weldon.

Bobby left them alone and made sure everyone else on the team did the same. Then he and Troy went outside the room to talk.

"What do you think?" said Bobby.

"Fucking amazing," said Troy. "But can he keep it up?"

"We've got to get Lalli to stay out of the penalty box," said Bobby.

"Good fucking luck," said Troy.

"How much time we got left between periods?" said Bobby. "Five?"

Troy nodded.

"Okay, get Lalli out here. Tell him I want to talk."

About 30 seconds later Sam Lalli came out of the dressing room into the corridor.

"You want to see me coach?" he said.

"Ya, this is kind of awkward for me, but I thought you'd want to know," said Bobby as he made a show of being nervous.

"What coach?"

"From what you told me in our meeting I understand how important your heritage and all that are to you," Bobby continued to fumble with the change in his pocket. "Well, I just thought you'd want to know what I heard that Number 23 on Red Deer say."

"When?" said Lalli.

"Just as we were coming off the ice. I had to get some ice packs from their trainer and I heard 23 talking. He said: 'That fucking stupid Paki Lalli has to be the stupidest fucking player in the whole fucking league. Pakis are always like that. Give em a little hit and they always take a stupid penalty.' I just thought you'd want to know what he said."

"Thanks coach," said Lalli.

Bobby motioned for him to go back into the dressing room.

"Coach?" said Lalli. "I'm Sikh, from India, not a Pakistani."

"I know that Sam, I know that," said Bobby. 'It's just those damn ignorant racists.

"And Sam, I understand you've got to do what you've got to do."

He smiled and opened the door to the dressing room. Lalli disappeared inside and then almost immediately the whole team marched back out for the second period.

The risk was Lalli would do something even more stupid, but Bobby hoped his reaction would be the opposite. Whatever the outcome Bobby was determined to force the issue as soon as possible, so he once again put Lalli out for the period's first shift. He knew Red Deer's No. 23 always took the Rebels' opening face-off.

Once again, the home team put pressure on the Totems. Weldon made a quick save and the rebound went into the corner where Red Deer's No. 23 picked up the puck with Lalli between him and the net. The Totem defenceman accelerated faster from a standing start than most players in the NHL did and before No. 23 knew what hit him, he was flat on his back after a solid check into boards. Plus Lalli had the puck and was in full flight up the ice, with Buckinghorse on his right on a two-on-one. The puck went to Buckinghorse and the Red Deer defenceman made the correct play, staying between the puck carrier and the second man. Then Buckinghorse made a move that had the entire arena gasping. About half way between the blue line and goal he stopped and started so quickly that the Red Deer defenceman, who tried to stay with him, got twisted around, allowing Buckinghorse to throw the puck over to Lalli who cut in front and tucked the rubber from his backhand behind the Red Deer goalie. 2-0 Vancouver.

Once again, as Lalli celebrated, a Red Deer player snuck behind him, giving him a love tap on the back of his legs. Lalli reacted, turning quickly, but this time he looked back at Bobby and made a mental note of the player's number and pointed to the score clock.

The goal destroyed Red Deer's momentum and even though the shots on goal were 24-10 for the Rebels over the final two periods, both teams played as if they knew the final score would be zero for the home squad.

Vicente did score an empty netter so the game ended 3-0 for Vancouver as the Totems picked up their first win of the season.

Next Chapter: Monday

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