Almost as if he can sense me thinking about him, I spot Declan skating across the ice as the intermission ends. I lean forward in my seat, resting my chin in my hands as I watch him. He makes eye contact with me and winks subtly, making my heart flutter. When I’m sure my mother can’t see, I make a little heart with my fingers underneath my chin and flash it to him. The smile he gives me in return almost melts me, but he streaks away quickly before anyone else notices or catches on to our secret signals.

The two teams get back in position on the ice for the final period as the last of the crowd streams back into the arena.

This has been a particularly brutal game, and I was hoping that the break would give all the players time to cool off and reset all the testosterone, but as soon as the puck drops, they’re right back to tearing after each other. Maybe it’s because the Aces are the team to beat, or maybe it’s because they have a hotshot new rookie—or all of the above—but both teams are playing a bit rough and reckless.

More than once, I gasp along with the crowd as the players barely miss each other. It’s like they’re trying to test each other’s limits in some risky game of chicken to see who will flinch first. But the problem is, no one is flinching. And every time it happens, the next one is even closer. At one point, one of the Coyotes players crashes into Sawyer’s shoulder head-on. Thankfully, Sawyer sees it coming and braces himself for the impact, but the other guy goes down hard and the back of his helmet smacks against the ice.

The ref’s sharp whistle cuts through all the noise from the crowd, and they rush to the player to make sure he’s okay. In a true show of sportsmanship, Sawyer helps the Coyotes player up off the ice to a round of applause from the audience, but the guy must be seeing triple, because he sways on his feet and the refs have to help him off the ice to the bench.

The game continues, the play even more aggressive and brutal than before. Halfway through the period, Theo is streaking down the ice toward the goal with the puck in his control when a Coyotes player jabs his stick out at his feet. Theo notices, but not before it’s too late. He crashes into the guy’s stick and stumbles, flailing his arms to keep his balance and losing his stick in the process.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Theo bellows at the Coyotes player when he gets his footing again, whirling on the man.