Although most boys’ hockey players can call a teammate their friend, very few can truly call him their brother. BSM’s hockey phenomenons, junior Christian Horn and senior Patrick Steinhauser, brace themselves for change not only in their family dynamic, but team dynamic as they transform their friendship into stepbrotherly love.

Steinhauser’s and Horn’s friendly relationship set a solid base for the more-than-friendly relationship prevailing between Mr. Steinhauser and Mrs. Horn. Once just two single hockey parents, the new couple embarked on a journey ending with a new family and less than conventional circumstances. “We were best friends before, and that’s how our parents met,” said Horn. “We already kind of knew [about their relationship], but they tried to keep it from us like kids would.”

The boys, who are currently engaged to be stepbrothers, will become official this summer as their parents wed in Italy. “It didn’t really come as a shock to us,” said Horn. “It’s cool, but weird at the same time.”

This—as most would presume—awkward situation was adopted willingly into the lives of both, but still presented minor adversity. “I was indifferent about it at first, I still am, but the other parent is definitely the biggest challenge for both of us,” said Steinhauser.

Family life in the new home seems to revolve solely around hockey, as they find themselves directly amidst the team’s commotion. “We probably talk about [hockey] 70 percent of the time,” said Horn. “And it’s all we talk about at dinner. My mom never knew much about it so we never used to talked about it, but [Steinhauser’s] dad is really into it.”

An off-ice refuge for the team exists within the Steinhauser/Horn household. “Everyone is always welcome at our house. It makes it so that my friends are his friends, and his friends are my friends,” said Horn.

Adjusting to the given circumstances only encouraged the promising friendships drawn within the hockey team. “The whole situation has made things on the team better. I’ll have friends over and so will he, so basically the entire team is at our house, and we can all hang out together,” said Horn.

As everyone on the team grew closer, it became inescapable that Steinhauser and Horn, already best friends, were bolstering their companionship as well. “I think we were together a lot more after it began, but not on account of our parents being together, just on account of being on the same team and doing stuff together,” said Horn.

The team’s community factor flourished because of this single familial relation, creating a metaphorical—and actual—brotherhood on the team. “Once [the team] got used to the whole idea, they all really liked it,” said Steinhauser.

Steinhauser and Horn’s improved relationship does not limit itself to home life, but is manifested on the ice as their extensive understanding of one another becomes evident in their play. “We’ve been on the same line for eight years, but we have much better chemistry now,” said Steinhauser.