Staal [A Jordan Staal Story] Chapter Sixty-three

I love living in Pittsburgh! We have the greatest football team and more importantly at the moment, the best hockey team. I'm still in shock that we did it, but it's a good shock. I went to the parade yesterday and it was so wroth getting there seven hours before the parade started. I was super close to the stage and got a ton of amazing pics, if you want to see them send me an email an I'll see what I can do. Anyway here's a new chapter of Jordan! I hope you enjoy it, as always comments are grealy appreciated.


Chapter Sixty-Three

Monday came and with it morning skate, that night the Pens would be playing the Flyers. Since there was still a few minutes before practice was going to start the boys were talking at different places around the ice; some working on their shot or sticking handling, Miriya however was just skating.

She rounded a corner and went down. 'Nothing major, hockey players lose their edge and all the time," she thought to herself. That is until she tired to get up. "Shit!" By this point most of the team had made its way over.

"You okay?" Brooksy asked from the crease.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She pulled herself up using the boards for support, tried to take a stride with her left leg and quickly grabbed back onto the boards.

"You wanna go to the locker room?" Mark asked, concerned for his coach.

"Yeah, Mike take over until I get back."

"Sure thing coach," Mike Yeo said. "Jordan and Kris help her out."

With the support of two of her favorite people Miriya let her left skate glide along the ice as they made their way to the locker room. "Chelle!" Jordan said as they stepped off the runway. "You've got a patient."

"Which of you boys got hurt before practice even started?" She walked into the room and stopped in her tracks. "Coach, what happened to you?"

"Lost my edge and went down pretty hard on my bad knee," she said as Jordan gently set her on one of the tables in the training room.

"You know you don’t have to go back out, Mike can handle it."

"I know he can but baby I've played with a dislocated shoulder, I think I can coach with a hurt knee. And you know that I've hurt my knee so many times now I just fight through it."

"Don't worry about it boys, I'll have her back on the ice in no time."

"Thanks Chelle, see you on the ice babe," he kissed her cheek and turned to make his way back to the ice with Kris.

"Baby," Miriya said sadly and both guys turned to face her. "Kris, don't I get a kiss?"

"Sure babe. I thought that while we were doing anything team related I had to act like we were just friends; after all, you are my coach."

"Well everyone knows about it, so you have the same restrictions as Jordan."

"Okay," he said with a smile and kissed her check. "I'll see you out there coach."

The boys went back to the ice and Michelle got to work. She rolled up Miriya's track pants to reveal a knee that had already started to bruise. "We're not worried about the bruise, right?"

"Yeah, it's out again. Just work your magic and put it back in again."

Within fifteen minutes Miriya's knee was back in place and all that hurt was big purple mark. She grabbed a pair of shorts from the locker room and wrapped her knee in ice. "Thanks Dr. Crosby," she said as Michelle put the plastic wrap down.

"No problem, get out there coach."

When she took the ice again the entire team applauded. "Thanks boys but I've come back from worse. Get back to work."

When practice ended Miriya headed home for her pre-game nap and a pre-game meal of steak that Erin had prepared for them. "So Miriya, how's your knee?" Jordan asked.

"Good, I can't believe I lost my edge like that."

"Yeah, you did go down pretty hard," Nik added.

After the table was cleared everyone left for the arena, the entrance to the parking lot was surrounded by fans awaiting the arrival of anyone who was willing to give an autograph. Miriya rolled her window down and signed for a few fans before pulling into her spot.

The fans above cheered for the three of them as they made their way from the car to the arena. Once they made it inside Jordan turned one way to go to the locker room with Scotty and Miriya the other to go to her office to prepare for the game.

Even though she was new to this she had her pre-game ritual down like she had been doing it all her life. She took her gold Penguins' chain from the picture of Hedberg on the shelf behind her desk and kissed it before placing it around her neck. With her stereo all the up she turned on 'Don't Stop Believing' to get herself pumped up. When the song ended she made her way to the locker room to give her pre-game speech, after all of the players arrived of course.

"Coach, are you going to listen to that before every game?' Colby asked.

"Yes Colby, do you have a problem with that?"

"No but…"

"Do I question any of you about your pre-game rituals?"

"No but could you at least turn it down?"

"Sure Colbs, I'll turn it down."

"I can't believe you questioned Miriya and listening to Don't Stop Believing. You don't mess with Mir and her song," Michelle said with a straight face.

That was the last thing said before the boys hit the ice for pre-game skate.
Both teams looked strong early but the Guins managed to cash in first. Jordan put it in top shelf with help from Max and Brooks at four thirty-two if the first period. The crowd went crazy the second the red light went off to signal Jordan's second goal of the season. Also in that period Marc made a glove save as the Flyers' rookie Steve Williams was in on a one on oh. He took the shot from the hash and Marc whipped his glove out to cover the open part of the net, the Guins' keeping the one goal lead.

"Jay!"

"Yeah coach?"

"Keep scoring goals like that and you may out score Sid this season," she placed her hand on his back. "Keep up the good work."

They headed out for the second period and again the Guins struck first. Marc had played the puck behind the net and up to Colby. Army took it up to the blue line where he passed it to Sid who spilt the D and spun around putting the puck stick side of the Flyer's goalie. Sid's first goal of the season came on the power play at six forty-three.

Six minutes later Geno notched his first goal of the season with help from Whit and Jamesy. The wrister from the slot went in at twelve thirty-six. Marc made another amazing save, this time diving across the net to stop a Ryan Parent slap shot. With a three-nothing lead the boys and Miriya made their way to the locker room with wide smiles.

The boys were ready to go out for the last twenty minutes and hold on to their lead. However early in the frame Jordan had the puck behind the Flyers' net and waited for Max to get to the corner so that he could pass it out. After the pass had connected and play had moved to the front of the net a Flyer came charging in, dropped his shoulder and slammed Jordan hard into the end boards. Jordan still lay on the ice, obviously in pain, and play finally stopped when the Flyers' goalie had the puck in his glove.

There was no sign of a penalty being called causing Miriya to call the officials over to the bench as the trainers went to tend to Jordan behind the net.

"Are you kidding me, how can you not call a penalty on that. There's at least three things that could be. First of all, interference, that was definitely a late hit. Two, boarding, there was no way in hell that was a clean hit, he clearly dropped his shoulder. Three, charging, three or more strides before checking and opponent. He was in front of the net before he hit him. Have you guys read the rule book?"

"Yes Mrs. Staal we have. There is no penalty and when your husband is cleared from the ice play will resume."

The officials skated away as Jordan was helped off to the locker room. "Son of bitches."

"Staalsy, you okay?" Eats asked looking back.

"I've seen too many hits like that go bad. There could have been three calls on that play, he should be suspended at least one game, depending on the extent of the injury. And I'm not just saying this because he's my husband or even because he's someone on my team. If Jordan would have thrown that hit I'd say that he should be suspended and he probably would be."

"I know. He'll be fine."

"Thanks Eats, Whit and Jamesy are out there double shifting it, get out there."

On that shift Scuds picked up the puck along the boards and slid a cross ice pass to Eats. Mark took it up to the slot where he dropped in back to Nik. With a one-timer from the hash Nik pit it past the goalie to give the Guins a four-nothing lead.

"Good job boys, that's for Jordan."

Three minutes later Ryan Parent picked the puck off Geno's stick and headed the other way. His break-away ended with the puck behind Fleury, the unassisted goal was scored at ten oh three.

"He should at least still be in the box if not thrown out of the game."

When the final buzzer rang Miriya quickly made her way to the training room to check up on Jordan, before even giving her post game speech to the boys.

"Michelle, how is he?" She asked before even entering the room.

"He dislocated his right shoulder, I popped it back in. He shouldn't need surgery, but the only way to tell is an MRI. He also messed up his right wrist pretty bad, I'm pretty sure it's broken. We're sending him to the hospital to get an MRI and a cast, he'll be out four to six weeks."

"Okay," she said with a sigh. "I've gotta go face the boys and the press. I'm so sorry baby, it's not fair that you were hurt two games into the season. But I've gotta go before the press starts an angry mob."

"It's not your fault babe. But I won't go to the hospital until you're with me."

"Aww I'll see you later, I love you." She lightly hugged him and left a kissing on his cheek before going to address the team.

When the post game speech had been given Miriya made her way to her post game press conference . From the second she stepped into the room reporters were yelling questions.
"Coach, how do you feel about Jordan getting hurt?"

"I feel that the officials did not make the necessary call at the time. He could have been seriously injured, but in any case a penalty should have been called."

"Is there any word on how serious the injury is and how long he'll be out?"

"I'm not at liberty to disclose the injury, but the word from Dr. Crosby is that he will be out anywhere from four to six weeks."

"How do you plan on handling this loss?"

"It is a loss, Jordan is a key player, but we'll fight through it."

Finally, she was done answering questions and made her way back to the training room where Jordan was waiting. Michelle had wrapped his wrist in an ace bandage, it wasn't doing much, but it would help until they got to the hospital. He also had a bag of ice on his shoulder to try to help keep the swelling down.

The three made their way out to the ambulance, Jordan and Miriya obviously in the back and Michelle in Miriya's Stang. Without sirens or flashing lights they drive for two minutes before arriving at the hospital.

Jordan first had an MRI which showed that there wasn't enough damage for surgery to be needed. His wrist was then put in a cast and within a few hours of arriving they walked out the front doors to find where Michelle parked.

Nik had taken Scott home with him and they were sound asleep when Miriya and Jordan arrived home after dropping Michelle off at the arena.

The next morning it was off to practice where Miriya would be making line changes and Jordan would be taking care of Scott, to the best of his ability, he was still pretty injured. When the boys hit the ice Jordan took a seat on the bench and watched what he was missing out on.

"Baby look," Jordan said holding his right arm up. "I had all of the guys sign it."

"You're such a little kid," she tried to hold her laughter in. "But I love you."

The boys ran warm-ups and waited at center ice for instructions.

"Alright, Hallsy you're taking the third line and Ben you're centering the fourth. Let's see how these two lines look now."

Practice went well and when it ended the boys showered and made their way into the sunny October day. There was a crowd waiting outside for autographs, as usual.

"Jordan, Jordan can I have your autograph?" the fans asked as he and Miriya walked towards them, Miriya always signed for everyone there following practice.

"I would love to sign for you guys but I can't, I'm sorry."

One fan booed and the others around him joined in.

"He said he was sorry that he can't sign for you. If you're going to be made at anyone its Ryan Parent, he's the one who hit Jordan last night."

With that being said Miriya turned back towards the car and she, Jordan and Scott walked through the parking lot to their car and left without another word.