Indian Horse

At a game in February, white men show up and invite the Moose to play against their team in an exhibition game. They come from the Kapuskasing Chiefs, last year’s league champions. Saul is hesitant, due to his experience with town teams, but agrees due to his teammates’ enthusiasm for the match. 

The team arrives at the arena, which is brand new and full of trophies and photographs. Unlike the sheds in their normal tournaments, the team has a large dressing room with cubicles for each player. As usual, the crowd laughs upon seeing Saul, though not for long. The Chiefs score five goals rapidly before Saul has watched enough to be able to see the rival team’s patterns and join the game. Saul’s speed and foresight allow him to score the Moose’s first goal. By the final frame, the game is tied 5-5. As the game winds down, Saul skates like he’s never skated before and, as time slows, takes possession of the puck and, seeing Stu Little Chief alone off to the side of the net, makes a hard pass, sealing the victory. As he is headed to the dressing room post-game, he is stopped and notified that he is “first star” of the game, like in Hockey Night in Canada.