Dangeruss & Tazer

After hitting it off at the bar, Jonathan and Russell decided to meet up the next day. Russell offered to help Jonathan find Patrick. They met at a local Starbucks and then went back to Jonathan’s house. Jonathan showed Russell, the football player, pictures of his best friend Patrick, the missing hockey player.

“So that’s Patrick Kane, huh? He looks like a ladies man?”

Jonathan had chuckled sadly at that. “He is. Kaner’s very popular with the female fans!”

After a few minutes at the Jonathan’s house, they drove to the Blackhawks’ arena known as the United Center (or the U.C. to diehard fans and the NHL players). This was Russell Wilson’s introduction to hockey. All he had known growing up was football and baseball. Sure he respected every sport, but he never really knew much about the sport of “hockey.”

As they entered the grand UC building, a new banner in front of them showcased Jonathan and Patrick. There was also a big Blackhawks’ flyer boasting about the massive contract the two had recently signed. It said, ‘8 more years’!

“8 more years?”

“We kind of signed a big contract to remain in Chicago. Patrick and I did!”

Russell nodded, as he gazed around the place. He saw it was a different style of architecture than he was used to. It wasn’t a football stadium, that was for sure. It was more complex and, even though they were inside, it was plenty chilly. Jonathan led him inside, to the ice. They walked up the Zamboni tunnel to the spectacular ice rink, which was smooth and shiny as glass…and empty. The Blackhawk looked at the ice, longingly.

Russell could tell he would love to be on the ice. And he had reason to. The ice to Jonathan Toews, was home. It was inside of his bones. It filled his soul. It was what the football field was to Russell. He smiled at his new friend.

“So this is the famous Madhouse on Madison that everyone has been talking about?” Russell exclaimed, his voice echoing around the empty arena.

“This is my second home.”

Jonathan gazed around his home arena. For the first time, he was not skating on the ice to the deafening roar of the fans. He was just like a normal person, peering into the glass at the ice. It brought him back to his childhood, when he dreamed of becoming a famous hockey player in the NHL.

Before he met Patrick Kane.

Russell began to look around. He saw the banners that proudly sang out the triumphs of the Chicago Blackhawks. Stanley Cup Champions in 2010 and 2013, it was quite an accomplishment!

The place was too quiet. It was heart breaking. Russell was completely in awe, however, as his eyes glazed over one of the Original Six hockey franchises. He would have been even more impressed during an actual game.

“So, you wanna get out of here?” the hockey player finally piped up.

Russell turned to him. “Sure.”

“I’ll take you behind the scenes, show you to our home locker room.” Jonathan cracked a smile and started back down the Zamboni tunnel, leading the closely following visitor. He made a sharp right and opened a side door.

They slipped inside, entering a new tunnel. They walked to the end, where it branched into different side rooms. Jonathan turned left, into one of them. Russell emerged into the Chicago Blackhawk’s locker room, gasping in awe as he took in the surroundings.

Jonathan walked over to his locker and sat down. He saw that Patrick’s stall was right next his. It was bare and empty, resembling the captain’s heart. But he shoved his feelings to the side, shaking his head. He leaned forward, watching the curious football player.

“Normally visitors aren’t allowed in here or on the ice without special permission and notice, but I think I can make an exception. How’d you like to learn how to shoot a goal on Blackhawk’s ice?”

Russell spun to him, holding Brandon Saad’s helmet in his hands. “Don’t reckon I’ll be any good, but I’ll certainly attempt to try. I have been ice skating before, so I can probably skate a little!”

“You’ll be fine. You’ve got one of the best captains and hockey players in the NHL teaching you!”

Jonathan knew he had his own set of equipment in his locker. So he looked around and figured he should get some that Russell could use from one of the other rooms. In this “equipment room,” the team often had extra gear lying around for players to use, in case they fell victim to the merry prankster and his hijinks. Jonathan wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was one of those lucky targets. He chuckled to himself as he thought about Patrick Sharp, the team prankster, who would sometimes have fun messing with his teammates by cutting their laces or tampering with their skate hardware, he would even go so far as to take out the screw or even the blades!

Jonathan tossed the borrowed equipment to Russell. Then he ran through his mundane dressing routine, showing the football player how hockey players do it.

The Seattle Seahawk’s quarterback caught on rather quickly. Before long the two were dressed and it was difficult to tell that Russell Wilson was a football player and not a hockey player. Jonathan found two sticks and led him back out of the room, down the tunnel and back through the door from which they had previously entered. The Blackhawk passed the Seahawk one of the sticks.

They emerged from the tunnel and Jonathan launched onto the ice, gleefully. He skated around professionally, dropping a puck to his skates and kicking it back into the blade of his stick all in one swift move. He spun around, spraying ice ahead of him, turning back to Russell, who stepped onto the ice and fell flat on his face.

Jonathan chuckled, skating back up to aid the quarterback. He bent down and offered his hand, but Russell scrambled back to his feet by himself. With better balance this time, he slowly got comfortable to the large ice rink. He gripped the stick, using it as a cane for balance at first, but gradually managed to come to his own control. He was soon skating around the rink by himself.

Jonathan found the puck once more. He scooped it back into his blade and maneuvered it around, mimicking Patrick Kane’s stick-handling video. He skillfully guided the puck around, as Russell got adjusted to the new feeling of ice under his feet.

Soon the football player skated over and skidded to a halt, spraying ice on Jonathan, who was lost in the concentration of controlling the puck. Russell jammed his stick in and stole the puck from Jonathan, who was shocked.

“Hey, I thought we were on the same team?” the Chicago captain chuckled.

“And I thought you were going to teach me to score a goal?”

Jonathan folded his arms. “Touché!”

Russell looked awkward, as he tried to copy Jonathan’s stick-handling moves.

“This takes years of practice, Russ, only a select few of us, like Kaner and I, are actually puck possession pros!”

“Who’s Kaner?” Russell questioned, cocking his head in interest.

Jonathan turned his head to the side. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Kaner, uh, Patrick Kane, you know Peekaboo, my best friend. He was the one you saw in the photo back at my place. He and I are the core of the Chicago Blackhawk team!”

“Oh, right…him!” Russell sighed, sending a sympathetic look to the hockey player before him. “You can tell me more about him, after my goal scoring lesson, okay? I take it that you have more that you want to tell me about him.”

“Of course. Right!”

Jonathan took the puck back and skated to the blue line. He motioned for Russell to come over and stand beside him. The football player awkwardly came over. He skidded to a halt, spraying ice on Jonathan again.

“Alright. So, first, you should get down like this,” Jonathan said, dropping into position. Russell copied him. “Then, bring the stick back and like a golf swing and just slap it like this toward the goal!” The hockey player raised his stick up and brought it down, sending the small disk sailing into the center of the goal.

He instinctively pumped his fist in his classic victory celebration. He noticed Russell’s expression and skated to the goal, gathering the puck into his blade. He sent it gently across to the Seahawk, who actually stopped it, catching the disk in his blade. He moved it into position, not quite Patrick Kane-like, but enough to get it set up. He copied Jonathan’s moves, bringing his stick back.

Jonathan skated to the bench and leaned on the railing to supervise.

Russell swung the stick downward, gripping onto the handle tightly. He got the puck, but it sailed wide of the goal.

“Don’t worry, that stuff happens to everyone at some point. That’s why the score is so low at times. Plus, the added pressure of opponents and goalies doesn't exactly help either.” Jonathan skated back to Russell, dropping more pucks at his feet. “Try again.”

Russell loaded up for another shot. This one went over the top of the goal. He tried again and again. Missing each time. Finally, on his eighth shot, he managed to get it in, hitting the top right corner. He threw his hands up, happily shouting his success to the empty arena.

Jonathan clapped. “And now that you’ve gotten the feel for a goal, it will only improve and become more plentiful.”

Russell hit another few, just for fun. He landed each in the back of the net. He nodded. “Now I can try out for the Blackhawks!”

“Yeah. Sure, I’ll let Joel know you’re interested!”

Russell smiled. “So, tell me more about this Patrick Kane guy...Kaner or Peekaboo?”

Jonathan nodded. “A promise is a promise.” He dipped his head and jumped into the bench.

Russell skated over. The hockey player opened the rink exit door for him, to easily enter. It felt good to be back on solid ground. They both sat down on the bench, a bit tired but invigorated. Then the Blackhawk launched into his story about the “famous” Patrick Timothy Kane Jr.

Notes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bws-VBeHlO4 - The puck possession video as an example of the above movement; he really is a beast at this...not even the great Sidney Crosby could mimic this awesomeness! lol (Actually, he probably could...it probably not that difficult for professional players.)