Let’s Read Into Heated Rivalry’s Next Moves

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Even though fans are still enjoying the first season, a second season (and a third book!) have been announced, giving us something to look forward to. For those eager to find out what happens next with Shane and Ilya’s relationship, Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series offers a preview of the story.

The first season of the Crave show closely follows the second book in the series, called Heated Rivalry, and even included an episode adapting the story from the first book, Game Changer, about Scott Hunter and Kip Grady (Skip). The show’s sequel, The Long Game, continues the romance of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov (Hollanov), but it’s actually the sixth book in the overall Game Changers series. That can be a little confusing! The third book focusing on Hollanov, Unrivaled, is coming out in September and will be the seventh – and possibly last – book in the series. Books three through five explore the stories of other queer hockey players and their relationships, with Shane and Ilya appearing as supporting characters. Because season one stayed so true to Heated Rivalry, we can expect season two to follow the plot of The Long Game, which picks up a couple of years after Shane and Ilya first got together.

The book’s epilogue to Heated Rivalry, which wasn’t included in the show, reveals that Ilya has joined Ottawa’s NHL team (called the Centaurs in the book – the team names are different in the show). He and Shane start a hockey camp for kids to raise money for mental health awareness. Shane has come out to his team, but only his best friend and teammate Hayden, and his parents (who treat Ilya like family) know he and Ilya are together. Ilya is still hiding his relationship, which is very difficult for him. They’ve decided to keep their romance a secret until they retire from hockey, and that’s where season two will likely begin. But what happens after that? Let’s discuss some potential storylines from The Long Game that could – and should – be explored in the new season.

Major Turbulence

A memorable scene in the movie Almost Famous features a near plane crash where everyone reveals their secrets. Ilya’s hockey team experiences a similar crisis. However, instead of confessions, the emergency forces Ilya to face his own vulnerability. This happens during a difficult time in his relationship with Shane – Ilya is struggling with depression, likely influenced by family history and worsened by the stress of hiding his true self. He feels he’s sacrificed a lot for Shane, and doesn’t feel the same level of support in return. They briefly separate, which causes Shane anxiety and deepens Ilya’s depression. Everyone is unhappy until the plane almost crashes, prompting Ilya to send Shane a touching message.

Shane is understandably upset by what happened. Although we, as the audience, quickly find out everyone is safe – and Shane learns the plane landed without issue – his reaction is significant, offering insights to both himself and a colleague. The near possibility of losing Ilya pushes Shane to deepen their relationship and propose, leading to a very touching moment. This scene could be as emotionally impactful as when Ilya shared his feelings in Russian last season, and it promises the same heartwarming feeling when we hear Ilya’s voice again and confirm he’s alright.

Coupling Up

Just like season one featured the couple from “Hunter,” season two should introduce another pair from the Game Changers series. These love stories add to the main plot between Shane and Ilya in The Long Game, so we’ll likely meet these characters either in a separate episode or woven into the season’s storyline. Expect to see more hockey couples explored throughout the season.

Ryan Price, briefly introduced in season one and author of Tough Guy (the third book in the Game Changers series), will probably only appear once. He ends up with a musician named Fabian, and there’s a fun scene in The Long Game where Ilya and Shane go to see Fabian perform and secretly have feelings for each other. However, Troy and Harris, who are more important to Ilya and Shane’s story, will likely be key characters in season two, especially since they’re the focus of the fifth book, Role Model. Troy plays on Ilya’s hockey team, and Harris manages the team’s social media. Their developing relationship in The Long Game heavily influences what Ilya and Shane decide to do about their own feelings. And, thanks to Harris, Ilya gets a dog – so it’s safe to say we’ll definitely see Connor Storrie cuddling a puppy in Heated Rivalry!

We can likely expect another update on Skip’s life. In the previous book, The Long Game, Scott and Kip get married, and Scott later proposes an alliance with Hollanov – a group of hockey players who will fight against issues like homophobia and media interference that threaten the sport. Given that the plot of Unrivaled involves Hollanov facing off against problematic podcasters, this earlier storyline could be important for the upcoming season.

The Trophy Room, IYKYK

I was reading an interview with Hudson Williams, and he hinted at something amazing potentially coming in season two – the trophy room scene from the book! He played it cool, saying “If you know, you know,” but honestly, those of us who’ve read it do know! It’s a really pivotal moment where Shane is feeling pretty down, and Ilya does this incredible thing to lift him up… basically, he dominates him in Shane’s own trophy room. It’s revealed Shane has a bit of a thing for praise, and the scene is just… wow. I’m so hoping they include it – it’s a game changer!

This scene is one of the more intimate in the book, along with the one following Ilya’s Halloween party. It’s particularly noteworthy because of what Shane does to get ready, and the fact that Ilya is dressed as a gladiator – honestly, he’d be perfect for The Song of Achilles! I’m going to keep the details of the scene under wraps, as I’m not sure how much the adaptation can show, especially concerning certain… accessories. However, if any team can handle the book’s most passionate moments with both care and faithfulness to the source material, it’s this one.

Out and Aboot

Scott and Kip were able to reveal their relationships when they were ready, but Hollanov wasn’t so lucky. The way Hollanov’s relationship is exposed is so absurd, it’s almost comical rather than upsetting.

Everything starts with Hayden, who showed up occasionally in the first season, played by Callan Potter. Because of his important role in the episode The Long Game, he’s expected to be much more central to the story in season two. While visiting Hayden and his family – one of the few groups who know Ilya and Shane are a couple – Ilya and Shane slip outside for a quick kiss. Unbeknownst to them, Hayden is inside recording a personalized video message (similar to Cameo). Hayden doesn’t notice them kissing in the background, but the person who requested the video does, and quickly shares the truth with everyone online.

Hayden is really upset about what happened, but Shane and even Ilya quickly forgive him, though Ilya isn’t totally impressed with Shane’s friend. This incident brings the season’s main antagonist into the picture: the NHL commissioner, who handles things much worse. When he asks Hollanov to release a statement claiming the kiss was a joke, they refuse, which is a great moment for Shane, who boldly tells the commissioner exactly what he thinks. After the dust settles, the public learns about the relationship, and not everyone is happy—creating conflict!—but the Centaurs support Ilya, leading to Shane signing with them—a win!

This situation feels similar to the dramatic reveal at the end of season one, when Shane came out to his parents. This larger outing could be the major season finale moment, with Hollanov and Tierney sharing a kiss in the elevator after their meeting – a parallel to the season one finale car ride. However, if the show intends to explore the full scope of The Long Game storyline throughout the season, the finale might show Hollanov committing to a deeper relationship with Tierney than just being teammates.

Wedding Season

Like many romance novels, The Long Game concludes with the couple getting married. But the most charming wedding scene actually happens much earlier in the book. While babysitting, the main characters have a playful, pretend wedding with plastic rings. This sweet moment is genuinely touching and foreshadows their eventual, real wedding.

It’s true – fitting everything into just six episodes feels rushed. We’ll have to see if the show fulfills the creator’s hope for a longer next season, or if the story will be split over two seasons. While it’s tempting to want to savor the romance and delay seeing Hollanov together, other shows like Wicked and Stranger Things have taught us that stretching things out too much isn’t always the best approach. Even if we don’t see Hollanov happily married by the end of season two, we can still look forward to another fantastic season of gay hockey.

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2026-01-22 19:56