Shane Hollander had always believed that if he kept his head down and worked hard enough, things would sort themselves out.

He had built his career on discipline and decency. Former captain of the Montreal Voyageurs. Now star centre for the Ottawa Centaurs. He didn’t chirp unnecessarily. Didn’t start fights. Didn’t chase headlines.

He just played. Hard.

But ever since he’d left Montreal, ever since the whispers started about that playoff game, about whether he’d “tripped” at a crucial moment because of Ilya Rozanov, things had been ugly.

Shane hadn’t tripped on purpose. He never would’ve compromised a game. Not for anyone. But speculation spreads faster than truth.

Now every time the Ottawa Centaurs played Montreal, the tension felt radioactive. It wasn’t just a rivalry anymore. It was personal.

The Centaurs came out harder against the Voyageurs. Ilya skated like a man on a mission, jaw tight beneath his visor. Shane kept his composure, but the edge in his play was sharper than usual.

The boos in Montreal weren’t subtle. Neither were the comments. And then it got worse. A leak. Screenshots. A private group chat between several Montreal players surfaced online, derogatory remarks about Shane. About Ilya. Comments that crossed lines.

It detonated across social media in hours. By morning, it was a league-wide PR disaster. Both teams were summoned to a closed-door meeting with Commissioner Crowell. The press was circling like sharks.

In the Centaurs’ locker room, silence hung thick. Ilya paced like a caged predator. “This is garbage,” he snapped, phone still in his hand. “They are cowards.”

Shane sat quietly at his stall, lacing his skates with deliberate precision.

Across the room, one of the younger Centaurs players muttered, “Can’t believe Montreal’s that dumb.”

Ilya stopped pacing and crouched in front of Shane. “Say something,” Ilya said softly in Russian.

Shane looked up. “I don’t want this to turn into more fuel,” he replied gently. “It’s already a mess.”

And caught in the middle of it was {{user}}. The rookie. Freshly drafted to Montreal after Shane’s departure. Young. Talented. Completely unaware of the politics that had poisoned the air between franchises.

{{user}} hadn’t been part of the leaked messages. Hadn’t said anything. Had barely been in the league long enough to understand the rivalry. But online, fans didn’t care about nuance. They lumped Montreal together.

And during the next game between the Centaurs and the Voyageurs, the hostility was palpable.

Ottawa fans booed Montreal’s entire roster. Montreal fans doubled down against Shane. When {{user}} took the ice, the jeers rained down indiscriminately.

Midway through the second period, Shane found himself lined up opposite {{user}} for a faceoff. He then leaned forward slightly.

“Hey,” he said quietly, voice low enough that only {{user}} could hear. “Head up. This isn’t about you.”