This article is featured in the 2026 Winter Carnival Issue.
In pop culture today, the HBO series “Heated Rivalry”, a queer hockey romance, has commanded the attention of audiences worldwide. The modern day Cinderella story started from humble beginnings: two unknown lead actors, an adaptation from a book with a loyal fanbase.
“Heated Rivalry” is adapted from a novel of the same name by Rachel Reid. It follows two male all-star hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov — played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie — that find themselves romantically drawn to each other despite playing for rival teams. On top of the media’s obsession with their “rivalry.” If either man were to reveal their relationship, they would risk the chance of losing support from their sport, teammates and even their country.
Ilya, a Russian, is unable to come out due to persecution of homosexuality in his home country. One of the most heartbreaking conflicts happens in the fourth episode when, in a moment of passion, Ilya calls Shane by his first name for the first time. This seemingly insignificant moment sends Shane spiraling, as he becomes afraid of the emotional intimacy building between the two of them.
“Heated Rivalry” grabs audiences’ attention within the first two episodes through its admittedly sexual nature. However, by the third episode, the show is hitting beautiful emotional beats that leave the viewer speechless.
The series is designed in a truly genius way for the modern era, when there is so much available content that it takes more to draw in audiences. When the first two episodes were released, there was major buzz around the intense intimate scenes on screen. However, by the third episode, the showrunner Jacob Tierney turns down the sexiness and turns up the emotional vulnerability. He draws you in, and then executes an intentional and breathtaking emotional shift that keeps you engaged for the rest of the series.
Ilya and Shane are not the only homosexual relationship represented in the show. In the third episode, the audience is brought into the world of Scott Hunter, a veteran hockey player for the fictional New York Admirals. We learn that he has developed feelings for a smoothie shop worker, Kip Grady. Their relationship builds very differently than Shane and Ilya’s, as Kip and Scott aren’t afraid to admit their feelings to each other from the beginning. Scott still has a lot of internal struggle: he is fearful of how the hockey world will react when he decides to come out. However, in the fifth episode, Scott’s team wins the fictional version of the Stanley Cup, known as the Major League Hockey Cup. Once he wins this award, to the confusion of the commentators, he calls Kip down to the ice. We watch in exhilaration as Shane and Ilya react to witnessing Scott’s extremely public declaration of love on live television. This scene entirely changes the trajectory of the show, as Shane and Ilya realize that they don’t have to be completely afraid anymore. Scott Hunter has paved the way for them.
The undeniable chemistry between Williams and Storrie, is the strongest aspect of the series. The pair are electric in every scene they share. From whispering hotel room numbers during hockey games to cuddling at the cottage, the actors deliver a performance full of authentic love and romantic tension. The relationship builds from a purely physical connection to a deep, emotional connection throughout the course of ten years. The pure yearning expressed through longing glances and hidden touches makes the audience feel as if they are experiencing the slow burn themselves.
The pacing is interesting, as Tierney had to fit two romantic narratives over the course of 10 years within six episodes. The first two episodes have many jumps in time that could initially confuse the viewer. However, the faster paced development of the physical relationship makes for an effective and dynamic storytelling experience. He jumps in time throughout the series to tell the most important parts of the story, which keeps the viewer engaged, as every moment shown is essential.
Beyond the central romances, the supporting characters are equally well cast. Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse) and Svetlana Vetrova (Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova) are strong female characters that positively uphold the main characters. Svetlana is Illya’s childhood friend that stands by his side throughout everything, including his father’s death and secret romantic feelings for men. She is Ilya’s safe place when he is in Russia. Rose Landry is Shane’s Hollywood girlfriend in episodes four and five. She realizes that Shane might be gay and her humble and respectful confrontation allows him to admit his feelings for men to her, and more importantly, to himself.
The soundtrack is also a knock-out. From originally composed music by Peter Peter to more commonly known songs such as “My Moon My Man” by Feist and “All The Things She Said” by t.A.T.u, Tierney uses each song to enhance the mood and help tell the story. For example, “I’ll Believe In Anything” by Wolf Parade only plays within Scott Hunter’s story. We first hear the song at the start of episode three, and then again during Scott and Kip’s kiss on the ice in episode five. Its lyrics “give me your eyes, I need sunshine” perfectly relate to the moment of stepping into the sunlight for Scott Hunter after hiding his sexuality for so long. “All The Things She Said,” which played in a club as Ilya and Shane stare longingly at each other during one of the most famous scenes in the show, has quickly gained popularity over social media platforms.
Above all, the representation of gay relationships within sports is an important takeaway for viewers. Depicting two happily ending queer relationships sends a powerful message of acceptance. With the show being renewed for a second season, Shane and Ilya are bound to face new challenges with maintaining their relationship. For now, though, the audience can be content that Ilya and Shane are happy together at the cottage.
