Quest For Yzerchuk 3: The YIPs

7 - Abdelkader Does!

Since Pavel Datsyuk's moment outside, Vladdy Namestnikov, Evelyna and Victor Hedman have hurried back in to notify the others of the incident and that they suspect Pavel of kidnapping Ondrej Palat. With little to go on and the start of the game in twenty minutes now, they realize that they will have to get the game done first and then go search for Ondrej, Dani and Yzerchuk.

And sure enough, before long, the puck drops for the game with the Lightning bench worked up in worry over the non-presence of their Czech player, Ondrej Palat. Vladdy nervously glances around him on the Lightning bench and looks to where Nikita Kucherov is in tears beside Tyler Johnson.

"I can no play with no Pally! WHERE PALLY??" Nikita wails, covering his face with his ungloved hands as TJ hugs him closely and pats him on the shoulder in comfort. "I no wanna play with no Pally!"

"But Kuch, you have to play. We need you. Pally, wherever he is, would want you to get ahold of yourself and go out there on the ice and score goals!" TJ whispers.

"If he's even still alive that is..." Ryan Callahan leans over and remarks.

Nikita squeaks. "No! Pally still alive! Pally still alive!"

"If your mom is still alive!" Jonathan Drouin leans over and hisses to Callahan, who frowns and then reaches over and smacks the back of Drouin's head. The younger forward shakes his head and glares at Callahan, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Not helping, Cally," TJ growls, shoving the ex-Ranger forward away.

Galchenyuk skates over for a line change and hops into the bench. He smiles kindly at Nikita. "Have faith that we'll find Pally after this game. Let's get out there and tear these jerks a new one and get the win for Pally, Stammer and Stralsy! Then we can go find Pally, who I'm sure is very much still alive."

Vladdy winks at the ex-Hab and nods, before jumping onto the ice with Drouin, who's recovered from Callahan's assault on his head and Jonathan Marchessault.

Nikita wipes his eyes and finally breaks a smile. "You right. I get goal for Pally!" He jumps to his feet. "FOR PALLY!"

Abdelkader crunches Vladdy into the boards in front of him and he jumps and yelps in fright and falls backward over the bench. TJ, Galchenyuk and the coaches all attempt to grab him, but he lands on the ground, getting awkwardly stuck behind the bench. The Red Wing laughs, amused at the sight. "Stupid Russian, I'm coming for you next! As soon as you step on the ice, consider yourself marked!"

Nikita is helped back onto the bench as Vladdy shoves Abdelkader back, only to be overpowered and flung hard to the ice. Drouin and Marchessault skate over and prevent Abdelkader from going at Vladdy anymore, who attempts to get to his skates but screams in agony, which finally alerts all the refs on the ice.

The play is then halted as Drouin and Marchessault shove and cross-check the Red Wing goon back, away from Vladdy and the bench. Nikita, TJ and the rest of the Bolts bench gets up, gasping in shock as Vladdy grabs his leg, where blood is soaking his socks.

"Someone help him off the ice and into the bench!" Galchenyuk snaps.

The medical staff helps him to his feet, where Nesterov and Sustr help aid him into the bench. Vladdy grunts his frustration and pain as he sits down and checks out his wound. He cusses. "I'm okay. I just need a second. I need Yzerchuk! I don't know why, but...I've never felt this pain before! God!"

A few heartbeats pass before Vladdy recovers from the hit and is back out on the ice. The blood is gone and there's no hint of the horrible injury that had once been there. He dodges hits and creates offense for his team.