December 17, 2016

Kuch and Pally are missing, the team is a wreck because we can't seem to get consecutive wins back-to-back for the first time and worst of all - Cooper is yelling at me for not "leading by example"!! But the thing is, I assisted and played okay, before Pally just vanished.

I'm not kidding.

He was on the bench and then he was gone, never to return to the bench. And neither him nor Kuch have been seen. And it's not good.

As we pack up and head to the next game, in Edmonton, I receive a text message from an unknown number. The message says: 'I have your precious Baby Russian who loves cookies. You'd best 'Czech' Edmonton carefully, Palat.'

First of all, I'm not Ondrej Palat, so I'm guessing this text was meant to be sent to him and not me. Second of all, someone kidnapped Kuch? That's not cool. I mean, it's pretty common for me to get into trouble, but Kuch...you gotta leave him alone!

I spin to Brayden, who is sitting beside me with his head cocked to the side in puzzled curiosity. (Let's be real ladies, you'd swarm him in numbers.) Jo is sitting on his other side, looking around quizzically.

"BOYLE! TJ!! HEDDY!!" I shout out for the real 'leaders' of the team.

At once all three come in, pushing and shoving, with a small sandwiched TJ in the center. "Watch it you two, I'm small, let me take the lead!?" the small centerman snaps as he surges into the lead with some speed, before they all halt in a triangle-shaped formation before us. I can see Brayden blink and sink back a little, eyeing Heddy.

"What do you want, Namestnikov? Who sticknapped Yzerchuk now?" Heddy grumbles, folding his arms across his chest.

"OMG!! NO!! Yzerchuk is missing again! But--but--" TJ frets, snapping his head back and forth, his eyes wide with worry.

"Settle down Johnny," Boyle chuckles, before spotting Jo and wrinkling his nose up. "Ewww, Jo, have some decency, child!"

"Your mom needs to have some decency!" Jo barks back, before getting to his feet and going over to where Galchenyuk is.

"No, no, no. Nobody took Yzerchuk - for once - he's right over there with Galchenyuk!" I nod toward the ex-Canadien, holding onto my hockey stick. He glances up and smiles warmly at Jo, who strikes up a conversation with him. "I got a text message meant for Pally I think...and it's not good."

I show them my phone and TJ's face pales instantly. "Wait..." He trails off.

Heddy rolls his eyes and Boyle keeps glancing toward Jo, wanting to pick on him more. I shake my head and snap at them, "Focus, guys! Don't you understand? Someone - probably Vesey again - kidnapped Kuch and lured Pally out! I think that's why Pally just vanished?! But they sent the text to me instead of Pally...maybe accidentally?!"

"Look, Vladdy, this could also just be a ruse to lure YOU out," Heddy remarks. "I think Pally and Kuch are both injured and on their ways back to Tampa. End of story."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Hedman," a new voice greets our ears.

The room falls deathly silent and we all turn our attentions toward the entrance of the visitor's locker room in Edmonton. Standing in the doorway is Connor McDavid, which causes Heddy to tense up.

Connor holds one of his hands out before him; the other grips his hockey stick. "Relax, I know about Yzerchuk and all the drama surrounding you all. I'm not going to hurt you...in fact, I have news about Kuch and Pally."

Galchenyuk makes it over to me, passing me Yzerchuk. I lift the stick up as another person walks in. I recognize this person all too well as someone who is not so nice to Tampa or really any players not on his team.

"Lower the stick Namestnikov, for once I'm not going to attack you!" Milan Lucic growls.

"No, keep it up, Vladdy. I don't trust Lucic!" Heddy snarls, clenching a fist at his side. "After all he's boarded me, fought me, high sticked me..."

I keep Yzerchuk up at ready, giving them both an intense stare.

Lucic frowns and glares at Heddy. "Alright, Connor, put Hedman in his place, because he's not cooperating."

"Looch, no. I'm not doing that."

"I'm supposed to protect YOU, Connor. How can I, if you're going to drop your guard around... HIM?" Lucic snarls.

At that I slide my hand over the 'N', which Connor sees and now he throws his stick up at ready to protect. Lucic and Hedman give a battle cry and launch forward, locking one another up, while I shout out, "In Yzerchuk we trust!"

Yzerchuk transforms to my command and I point it at Connor, who calmly exclaims, "McChia, cause an Oil spill!"

McChia - the hockey stick - (oh, why am I not surprised that Connor's 'mundane' hockey stick is anything but...) transforms, sparking with black electricity. He then points it at me and shoots oil from the tip. I am shocked by this as the oil hits my jersey. And then I unleash Yzerchuk's powers.

Blue lightning hits black oil, while Lucic gets Heddy in a headlock. But then Galchenyuk climbs up on a stepstool and shouts out, "STOP! I trust Connor McDavid! Vladdy, stop it! Lucic and Heddy knock it off! Let the Oiler speak!"

I dip my head and lower Yzerchuk, cutting his powers. He morphs back into my special Nexus One, while Connor halts McChia, who remains sparking and dripping oil. We both turn to Galchenyuk and nod.

Connor faces me and says, "I'll just cut to the chase, I saw someone drag a large bag into Edmonton's old arena, Rexall Place or Northlands Coliseum, earlier today. I thought I heard muffled screams and I didn't think much of it, until I saw Palat enter. I didn't want to act on this, because I wasn't sure what was going on. I figured I'd just come and tell you all. But that someone I saw...he looked a lot like that new Montreal Canadien..."

I look at Galchenyuk, who gasps and seems to mouth, 'Andrew Shaw.' I spin back to Connor, knowing my teammate is most likely right. "Show us."

Connor nods and flicks McChia in his hands, which appears to cause him to snap back into a normal stick. Then he breaks apart Lucic from Heddy, both still steaming and upset with one another. I grab the curiously bewildered Brayden Point and join Connor, Lucic, Galchenyuk, TJ and Jo.

Connor leads us out of the arena and we all get into his car. Galchenyuk takes the passenger seat, while TJ, Jo, Brayden and I pile in the back. Oh, and of course, I have Yzerchuk with me. Brayden and I are sitting in the back with the ex-Bruin, who doesn't look too thrilled. Pencil this in as one of the most awkwardly uncomfortable car rides of my life. Thankfully though we arrive at the other arena within seconds.

Galchenyuk, Connor, TJ and Jo all hurry to get out and Brayden springs from the back with them all in unison. I then make to follow, but I am halted by Lucic, who grabs my wrist, yanking me back into the car with him.

"Pretty boys like you are the reason why this league is going to hell," the power forward grumbles. "At least Connor's ugly enough with tons of skill."

Wow, calling your teammate ugly...what a nice guy Milan Lucic is - SARCASM!

"Let me go! I don't need some dirty ex-Bruin telling me what is right and wrong. Also, count yourself lucky to be playing with such a perennial superstar like Connor McDavid. The only person who is ugly, is you for calling him such!" With that I jump out with Yzerchuk and he follows me out.

"Just be lucky I don't have any tape with me, Namestnikov."

"Is that supposed to be a challenge or scare me?" I question. "Trust me, I've heard it so much already, it's getting rather old."

Lucic lifts a fist up, but Connor snaps, "Looch, no! Come on!"

He lowers the fist and glares at me, before brushing past me rudely to join Connor. Remind me to mention to Connor to get himself a new BODYGUARD! I'd volunteer one of my teammates, but...you know...

We walk through the parking lot and enter the dark arena to a loud ear-splitting scream.

"PALLY!" TJ hisses and darts off.

Dammit! Triplets always having to worry and stick up for one another...in an unfamiliar place where you just heard the kind of tortured scream of your friend in pain, what's the best action plan? Run off by yourself, because it's not like Pally and Kuch are already tied down to stone tables under a pendulum by Andrew Shaw? No...

Galchenyuk takes off after TJ, luckily catching him and halting him as they skid into the center of the tunnel that leads to the ice. The rest of us catch up and Connor and Lucic sneak forward to the end, where they both gasp in horrified unison.

It's gonna take faith, trust and a little bit of Yzerchuk once again to rescue my team! So I go through the ritual and activate my hockey stick as Connor steps forward and activates him. A little too loudly.

On the ice, Andrew Shaw - surprise, surprise it is him - spins around from center ice, where two people - Pally and Kuch - are tied down to chairs. Connor kicks open the Zamboni doors and races out with McChia sparking in his hands.

I step onto the ice as Connor swings, fearlessly, at Andrew. Lucic mutters, "I taught him how to be fearless and stick up like that. Something you'll never learn, Namestnikov. I also taught him how to be distracted, while I go for the kill."

Okay, seriously, that comment is scary. I turn to him, finding Brayden and Jo both unconscious and TJ and Galchenyuk missing. That's when it hits me...IT'S A DAMN TRAP!! I bring Yzerchuk up, but Lucic isn't afraid and his outmuscles me, stealing the stick and tossing it back into Brayden's head.

Then he pins me to the boards and I realize that Connor's "bodyguard" is after me! I attempt to shout out for him and tell him, but Lucic smirks with a cackle and slaps his hand over my mouth.

"I just can't let this league be taken over by Pretty Boys, Namestnikov..." Lucic snarls at me.

"Milan Lucic, that's enough. Give him here to me," a familiar sly voice greets my ears. I know it all too well. He's my mortal enemy.

Not the insane Hab...! So it was a trap inside of a trap?

Lucic finally shoves me to the side away from the boards and into the awaiting arms of someone new, who instantly wraps me up in duct tape as he snarls. "Hello Namestnikov, miss me? I got the news that someone else was stealing my thunder...or well Lightning, I guess. See, I don't like Vesey competing with me for stealing you and your precious stick - that's my job!"

Of course it is...Brendan Gallagher.

"Are you for real kidnapping me in Edmonton, right now? Don't you have a hockey game to play in Montreal?" I question him.

"Eh, Pricey can handle it. He's 'Carey-ed' the team before after all."

Gally Puns...classic.

"LET THE BLOND KID GO!" Galchenyuk's voice echoes around the arena.

On time for the rescue, just like always.

Galchenyuk jumps on his ex-teammate's back and they crash to the ice. I manage to get the tape off of me and spin to see TJ running from the bench right at Andrew Shaw. He tackles him and pounds him with fists.

I take advantage of the distractions and run for Kuch and Pally to set them both free. By the time I do, Andrew Shaw and Brendan Gallagher flee the arena and I don't notice them take someone with them being focused on checking out Kuch and Pally.

Eventually Brayden and Jo moan and get to their feet, rubbing their heads. Thankfully Jo is just in temporary pain and hasn't reaggravated his concussion at all. The Triplets, Brayden, Jo and I meet up and that's when we realize...

Where's Lucic, Connor and Galchenyuk?

We return to the car to find Lucic grumbling to himself with Connor, who is pretty angry at his bodyguard. He apologizes to me and explains how Lucic was in cohorts with the two Habs. But I can't help but notice Galchenyuk's absence.

"Where Chucky?" Kuch finally pipes up, rubbing his red wrists.

Connor shrugs and Lucic remarks sarcastically, "Don't you all have a flight to catch?"

I roll my eyes at the hostile man. But he has a point. So we get to the airport where the others are and board the plane late (Finding Kuch and Pally were the REAL reasons why we got back to Tampa so late...)

But Alex Galchenyuk is not on our flight back and I'm wondering something...

Did Gally kidnap his ex-best friend?

Maybe Galchenyuk was never a Lightning Bolt...? But, no, he was. He IS. Galchenyuk is a Bolt and he is missing. As if leading the team, focusing on stringing wins together, keeping an eye out for Jimmy Vesey and apparently Brendan Gallagher and Andrew Shaw isn't enough, I now have to make it a priority to find and possibly rescue an ex-Hab!

I love being the owner of Yzerchuk!

I glance to my side on the plane, passing Brayden, who is STILL staring at me, turned around in his chair as I finish typing this update and see my hockey stick buckled into the seat beside me.

"Don't worry Yzerchuk, we'll find Galchenyuk." That I vow.