3. exhibition game

Kitt had been absolutely seething when she exited the arena. Pampered princesses? She would show him what a pampered princess could really do.

Josie had texted her a few times, looking for her. So she told her to meet her in the small 'Ladies only' workout room.

"Those fucking guys are going to be fed to the wolves. Me. I'm the wolves." Josie said from the treadmill where she was walking at a brisk pace.

Kitt had filled her in on the unexpected encounter with 'Leo Gordon of the XOU Knights'. Josie looked like she could run through a brick wall fueled by hatred and red bull alone.

AC walked in with a clipboard in her hand looking distracted.

"Hey AC Jarvis! Did you hear? Our little Kitt met the Leo Gordon! Of the real XOU KNIGHTS! He is insulted to be playing the pampered princesses!" Josie slammed her fist on the stop button. Her sarcastic comment was met by a frustrated sigh of the Coach.

"Yeah, I really hate that nicname. Coach Ten hates it even more. I wouldn't be surprised if she were to let the air out of the tires of anyone who dared to call us that." AC Jarvis laughed dryly.

"Look we NEED to wipe the floor with their ugly smugly faces!" Kitt said feeling the sting of the insults again.

"Oh I have no doubt. But they can not know they have gotten to us or they still win." Josie slapped her towel across her palm.

"Nope, we have to look a cool as... as cool as ice." Kitt nodded with a little grin.

"You have an idea." Josie narrowed her eyes.

"I gotta go talk to coach!" Kitt said and with out another word left her best friend standing beside the treadmill watching after her.

***

Kitt carried a large box into the arena hours before she was actually scheduled to arrive to get ready. She had found Coach Ten and had shared her idea only to find that her coach had nearly the same one.

The two had plotted and planned for more than an hour, and Kitt couldn't help but giggle to herself as she entered the dressing room.

By the time the rest of the team arrived they were ready for them. a large rack stood in the middle of the room covered in a sheet and large gift bags sat along one of the benches.

"Ladies!" Coach bellowed once the last player had taken her seat. "We all know that the men's team sees us as a joke, calling us pampered princesses. We know that the new athletics director doesn't want us here, but yet we are sixteen and one in our season and team Canada scouts are watching." She stood beside the rack.

"Whoop!" Kitt called out with a wink at the coach who was smiling back.

"If they want to call us princesses, then let's embrace it! We have a surprise for you, my old teammates wanted to show you some support, so they got you guys a little gift." With that she pulled the sheet off the rack to reveil a row of pink jerseys.

Coach pulled the first one off the rack and held it up. PUCK Princess scrolled across the front over a newly updated XOU logo. The numbers and name on the back and sleeves were lined in glitter and rhinestones.

The room erupted in excited chatter.

"Also, we have a little bag of treasures for you to go with them." She nodded to Kitt who then passed each girl a bag.

Josie looked at Kitt with a raised eyebrow. Kitt just grinned.

"No fucking way!" Josie laughed when she looked in the bag.

"Who said a princess was weak?" Coach Ten smiled brightly.

"Best day ever!" Keisha laughed.

***

The newly minted 'puck pincesses' took the ice in a spectacular display of glitter and rhinestones.

Their helmets were adorned with paper crowns made from gold card stock and giant stick on gems. Their brand new pink jerseys sparkled under the lights, and each player sported a matching pink tutu with glitter trim.

They warmed up before every game, AC slipped a new track to the student volunteer running the sound system, to the utter disbelief of the Knights "run the world" by Beyoncé filled the air.

The Puck Princesses, cycled through their warm ups with out even looking over at the Knights who had stopped skating to stare at the specticle on the other end of the ice.

The Knights coach entered the home bench from the side door like always. His head was down talking with the assistant and trainer, it was a full minute before he looked up and saw his players saring across the ice.

"Get moving!" He yelled before turning to see what they were looking at. He stared in disbelief for a moment.

The women's team had pulled out a pink carpet and lay it across the ice for the announcer and the guest singing the national anthem. Coach Ten and AC Jarvis were standing on the carpet in floor length pink cloaks with bright white fir trim and full on crowns. They slowly made their way out to center ice waving to the crowd.

Their arrival was met with a thunderous round of cheers and applause. The fans stomped their feet and every single female in the building was instantly on their feet.

Reporters for the school paper and the national college athletics department rushed to capture the moment. The team came to surround the coaches and pose for some pictures. They bowed and curtsied to the delight of the spectators.

The Athletics Department officials were red faced and their irritation was evident.

"Director Thomas, you have certainly upped the excitement of this year's game! You must be so proud of the display put on here today, do you have a comment for our listeners?" A bold reporter stuck her camera and microphone in his face. She captured the moment his mask snapped back into place and he was forced to play the part of supportive administration.

"We believe that this game deserves attention, I am so glad the women's team are able to bring in additional attention for the university and its many sports programs." His voice was clear and his non-answer made it clear to anyone who cared to notice that this was the first he was seeing of the new and improved puck pincesses.

He excused himself to step out onto the ice in a spotlight with the other administration members, the announcer, singer and other VIPs.

The focus had definitely shifted from the Knights to the Princesses and none of the Knights supporters were too happy about it. Their Coach whispered furiously with the ref and the director away from any microphones as the announcer began the event.

Coach Ten joined them in her full royal costume.

Kitt watched her coach put each of those men in their place. Not only was she able to debut new uniforms at the game "extra enhancements" to those uniforms were not only allowed, they were actually encouraged.

This game was broadcast live both online and on the college sports network. This rule was made to encourage people to tune in and hopefully donate to the charity that had been the selected recipient.

This year the teams were playing for a group that collected and refurbished sports equipment for kids and provided free sports programs. It was called "Sports for all".

Kitt and Axel were charged with holding the banner at center ice for the photo ops with the VIPs. Normally she hated this sort of thing, but today she couldn't stop smiling.

Seeing the Knights total lack of cool showed her that they were thrown off by small things, like the colour pink. They were rattled. She found it funny.

The teams lined up for the national anthem and it was in that moment she came face to face with Leo Gorden. He stared at her with his eyes wide and his mouth open. She made eye contact and winked. His face broke out in a huge grin, which made her smile back. She had gotten him.

His teammates elbowed him in the ribs for him to focus, but Kitt saw him peek at her again. She couldn't wait to see that handsome face fall with utter defeat when he lost to 'a bunch of girls'.

***

By the third period the Knights were sneering and jeering loudly from their bench. Kitt winked and blew them a kiss as she effortlessly skated past their bench with the puck on her stick. Tracy was waiting by the net surrounded by large bodies all trying to prevent yet another goal from the ladies in sparkly Pink jerseys.

The score was 3-3 and the women were in control once again. Kitt noticed Leo vying for a position infront of the net. His right defenseman was doing his best yo hold Tracy back and blocking their ability to pass.

Too bad the Knights were all focused on Tacy and Kitt none of them noticed Josie position herself behind them but in front of the open corner of the net.

One quick pass and a shot made the crowd roar and the buzzer sound while the red light spun in victory of yet another goal scored by the underdogs.

Axel slammed his stick against the net so hard he broke it and forced the net out of the braces. A loud whistle drew everyone's attention instantly. Since their was no puck in play at that moment.

"Black number forty-three, five minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct." A stripped clad ref called standing in front of the score keepers booth.

"What??" Kitt heard Axel scream before his teammates hushed him quickly. Their championship was coming up and he could get a suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct, even if it was just an exhibition game. It was clearly stated in every single sports contract signed at XOU. Zero tolerance for unsportsmanlike conduct, from their players, on and off the ice.

Kitt grinned like the Cheshire cat. They would be going in to the final four minutes of the game on a power play and up by one.

Kitt remembered Leo admitting this was his worst fear on the ice. An opportunity for a win was looking even more likely.

Kitt took the face off, she stood toe to toe with the back up center for the Knights while Axel watched unable to do anything from the penalty box. Kitt looked over and winked. She blew him a kiss as the puck dropped and she seized her opportunity to confound her opponent.

It was like a movie, she sent the puck between his legs and slid around him to capture it on the other side. Her right and left wings were able to herd the unsuspecting challengers away from her and she was able to move up the ice.

A defenceman was able to knock the puck from her control momentarily. It slid towards Tracy and the right wing offensive player for the Knights. He was a big guy, but Kitt only had eyes for the puck.

Every free player on the ice converged against the boards digging for the puck amongst the sticks and skates. Kitt felt a light tap on her shin from behind and she knew it was on. She pushed back just as the puck slid out of the Frey, she was a second ahead of the rest of the players giving her the advantage. She scooped the puck, spun around gracefully and set her sights on the only thing between her a certain victory. The hulking goalie stood poised to intercept and block any shot on his goal. Kitt knew instinctively that the other players were hot on her heels and that Josie was three strides to her right.

Kitt hopped on her skates moving her feet skillfully through the opponents zone, she saw a blur to her left of black and her body reacted quickly sending the puck to Josie, keeping her body between the puck and the enemy.

He came charging towards her so she pulled some fancy foot work to avoid him. Josie slid skillfully around the back of the net and passed the puck back to Kitt. The linemen were on her tail as he shot the puck hard and fast thraight through the number three hole. Glove side high, right in the corner.

The buzzer sounded and the red lights flashed as a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd. Kitt gave Josie a high five.

Three to five. Ninty-six seconds on the clock.

Kitt refused to Celebrate one second early. She lined up again taking the face off this time looking directly at Axel who was released upon their goal.

Kitt had a plan and tapped her stick against her skate twice and then on the ice. She was sending a signal to her line and she could feel their energy electrify her.

The puck dropped and the world slowed down to a crawl. Kitt could see everything so clearly.

She lifted her stick and spun to the left letting Axle falter with the puck. Believing he had won the face off, his team was gunning for the goal fueled by rage and testosterone.

The Princesses only had to wait two heart beats to find their opening. With the defense in position Axel had no choice but to pass, the girls had made sure to leave his right wing a little more open to receive the pass. He was the weaker of the two other offensive players, and he seemed more flustered than his teammates. It was the opening they needed, it might as well have been gift wrapped with a sparkly pink bow. Daria pulled up from her position by the net the second the puck left Axel's stick.

She intercepted the puck sending it, straight to Kitt's waiting stick. She crossed the blue line before the Knights could register where the puck had gone.

The goalie slammed his stick against the ice.

It was one on one.

Kitt slid the puck from left to right, right to left and back again. The tripple deke, a classic.

She lifted her stick as she approached the goal tender who looked like he wanted to eat her for lunch. His nostrils flared and his face was red as he tried to figure out her move.

She faked right, the same hole she had scored on moments ago. He rushed to block leaving his stick side sorely unprotected. With a quick twist of the wrist the puck was airborne. It wobbled momentarily before slaming into the net.

Stick side.

Kitt lost her sense of hearing for a heart beat as the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game and then a split second later indicating her goal.

A tremendous roar erupted, and Kitt was hoisted off her feet.

Final score Three to six for the Puck Princesses.