Page 95 of Rookie Rules

The conversation at Rowan's house remained between them even when Rowan did not look his way. Luca had left Rowan's house after naming the harm. Rowan had not messaged that night. At the rink the next morning, he had said good morning directly, asked about Luca's recovery, and done nothing else that could be measured as change.

Understanding was not the same as movement.

The second period began with Northstar simplifying. Pucks went deep. Defense stayed above risk. Gabriel made three saves through traffic and sent one rebound safely to the corner.

On the fourth shot, the opponent entered along the wall. Luca tracked back and forced the carrier outside. The angle was poor. Gabriel dropped into position.

The shot slipped between his arm and body.

1-4.

The puck barely struck the back of the net. The sound was small.

Vale looked toward Benji.

Every player on the bench understood before the backup goalie stood.

Gabriel skated to the crease edge and waited. Benji came over the boards, mask down. Their gloves touched once as they passed.

No conversation.

Rowan met him at the gate and took the blocker while Gabriel stepped over the boards. The exchange lasted seconds. Rowan did not say it was the right decision or promise the game could still be recovered. He gave Gabriel a practical place for each piece of equipment until the goalie was seated.

Benji's first shot came from the point through traffic. He caught it against his chest and held for the whistle.

The bench struck sticks against the boards, louder than a routine save required.

Benji looked toward them once and reset.

Gabriel did not.

Luca understood the impossible position. Encourage the backup and the sound could become comparison. Stay quiet and Benji entered a difficult game without support. Every act intended for one goalie could cut the other.

Rowan leaned along the bench. "Normal volume. Play the game."

The next save received three taps, no more.

Gabriel removed his gloves and flexed both hands. Owen crouched beside him, asked two questions Luca could not hear, and accepted the answers. No injury. No equipment issue. Nothing with a repair time.

For the remainder of the period Gabriel charted plays on the small card goalies kept near the backup seat. Entry side. Shot location. Rebound. He made himself useful to Benji while his own game continued without him.

Luca could not decide whether the work was resilience or punishment.

Northstar scored late in the second when Jace drove a rebound beneath the goalie's pad.

2-4.

The bench rose. Gabriel tapped his stick against the boards with everyone else. His expression did not change.

Benji kept the Wolves within two through the start of the third. He stopped a breakaway and covered two dangerous rebounds. Northstar pushed, but urgency separated the team. Luca forced a pass through the middle. Rowan lost a faceoff trying to win it too cleanly. Mateo stepped up for a hit and left Nolan defending the rush alone.

The fifth goal went into an empty net with fifty seconds remaining.

2-5.

The horn ended the Wolves' three-game winning streak and returned their record to one game above even.

Luca's final shift ended with him forcing a shot from the outside because the middle had closed. The goalie caught it cleanly. As the whistle sounded, Rowan reached him near the circle.