“When we get through with ’em they’ll be sorry they ever took up hockey,” a fellow player rejoined, and laughed.
At the opening face-off, Hallstead took the puck into Parker territory immediately. Her forward wall advanced beautifully, brushed past Parker’s wingmen and drove into the defensive zone with Hoyt Dale and Rudie Antrim crouching low to stop the onslaught. Hoyt charged in fast and gave one of Hallstead’s wingmen a stiff body-check. He went down in a headlong slide across the ice and the fans cheered. Play veered away from Hoyt and swept to Rudie’s side of the ice.
“Stop ’em!” Hoyt shrieked, banging his stick on the rink.
Rudie blocked, was struck, whirled around, saw the puck beneath his feet, slashed at it, felt a stick jab between his legs, lost his balance and was toppled backwards. As he went down the form of Chester Maltby leaped over him and swung at the puck, now sliding free in the zone directly in front of Parker’s cage.
“A goal!” cried the crowd, as Hallstead’s great centre smacked the puck past goalie Bud Gray into a corner of the net.
Hallstead had counted in the first minute of play!
“Hey!” shouted an outraged Hoyt, skating up and shaking his fist at Rudie. “What did I tell you the other day? You let them rough you right out of play. A swell defense man you are! Snap into it! You’re playing too safe! Cut loose!”
Hallstead team members were grinning. They could make a shambles of the contest if they wanted. But what was the use? Parker was no opposition in this sport at all. Might as well tease their rivals along. Putting on a dazzling exhibition of pass work, Hallstead had her rooters howling with amusement as she forced Parker to chase her all over the rink, trying to gain possession of the puck. After five minutes of this superb team play, Hallstead slipped through with intentions of scoring another goal. And again the pass went to Chester Maltby who was in position for a shot. This time, however, Chester was blocked—not only blocked but bowled over by a frenzied dive on the part of Hoyt Dale.
“Off the ice!” ruled the referee and the Hallstead crowd boohed.