Heated Rivalry’s Best Scenes

I can’t get into sports culture—it’s a weakness I have as an American citizen. I’ve watched the Super Bowl, I’ve listened to Boomer & Gio, I’ve played countless sports games on the Wii— and still, I can’t get into the hype of watching grown men fight for balls by slamming themselves against each other with sticks and hands ready to tear into each other’s uniforms (I say this in the least sexual way possible). 

It takes a lot for me to watch anything sports-related. However, this past January, I’ve acquired the keys to watching this male-dominated content with a smile on my face and a Bud Light draft in hand, and they’re as follows: A spicy liaison “off the field” and an enemies-to-lovers relationship. Yes, I’m talking about some forbidden and erotic heat between two opposing athletes. That will make me crawl on my hands and knees to the jocks during Sunday football, or any sort of sporting event for that matter.

I have to thank Heated Rivarly for this eye-opening experience. Initially a novel under the same name and part of the Game Changers series created by Rachel Reid, it has blown up Crave and HBO Max with its character pool of closeted gay hockey players—two of them playing against each other. The star players are Canadian sweetheart Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and sarcastic Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), the faces of their respective teams. From the start, their chemistry ignites the screen, blowing minds with their sexually-charged interactions disguised as friendly competition. And not to mention their rendezvous are nothing but jaw-droppingly hot! They also loathe each other in the rink, as they’re the best of the best in major league hockey and love to beat each other, turning up the heat of their passion outside their games.

These things and the characters’ secrecy surrounding their love life are what makes this watch one of the most entertaining additions to HBO Max today. This one-season show has layers, and the more I peel them back, the more obsessed I become with Hollander and Rozanov’s romance… and hockey as a sport.

To those who have watched Heated Rivalry, you know what I’m talking about, and if you’re just as crazy about the story as I am, welcome to the club. You probably feel a gravitational pull toward Russian vodka and the NHL now. To those who have not seen it, you just have to watch it to believe it. There are so many scenes in this show that are unbelievably juicy, but to give you a small understanding of my obsession, I’ve compiled my top three favorite scenes for you to sink your teeth into the show’s heart. But be warned—they may be spoilers.

My readers: dive into the essence of Heated Rivalry.

1. The “Exercise Bikes”

This was probably the first moment in episode one that pulled me into the show, and I’ll say, it pulled me in deep. When Hollander went down to that gorgeous hotel gym and started working out on the spin bike—earbuds in, music blasting—I knew something (or someone) was going to come around the corner and get his heart pounding. Rozanov’s a master at getting under his opponents’ skin. He strode into that gym and planted his butt on the bike next to Hollander’s, signaling a thirst for competition and something more. They began cycling against each other, trying to one-up each other with their speeds. The best part about this scene is its attention to their panting and sweating. Who knew that merely exercising together could create such an erotic atmosphere?!

While watching this part for the first time, I laughed hard, because the eroticism came so out of left field. I wasn’t expecting to feel so “fired up” from the sight of petty rivalry between two sweaty dudes with massive egos. I was expecting to feel grossed out, even disturbed by Rosanov’s infringement of professional boundaries outside the rink. But it was surprisingly hot—hot to a point where I felt flustered like Hollander myself, which I think is a positive effect?

I guess it’s an effect that makes me question my own stimuli, which can feel confusing and fantastic to explore for anyone, regardless of their sexuality or opinions regarding professional relationships. And that’s what I like to call spot-on screenwriting. 

Also, let’s not forget about Hollander and Rozanov’s water bottle exchanges (bow-wow)!

2. Scott Hunter’s “Confession”  

Hollander and Rozanov are not the only hockey players in the closet. Scott Hunter (François Arnaud), big-time captain of his own hockey team, falls hard for an adorable cashier at a smoothie shop named Kip Grady (Robbie Graham-Kuntz). Compared to Hollander and Rozanov’s relationship throughout the season, their relationship is much more lovey-dovey and wholesome, displaying a fast-burn romance for those with hopeless romantic mindsets. Think of David Rose and Patrick Brewer from Schitt’s Creek. It’s way less “Wham! Bam! Thank you, M’am!” with their rendezvous. Rather, it’s the total opposite. It’s a love at first sight type of deal, and you just know that their relationship is going to last.

Hunter is an intense dude, and when he sees something he likes, he goes for it. But as I was watching him and Grady’s relationship unfold, I didn’t suspect him to be super vulnerable or expressive. Judging by the behaviors of Hollander and Rozanov, I expected him to be just as rigid (or afraid) about expressing his feelings as them. But he’s not like them at all. He owns his feelings like the badass he is, going against the grain of toxic masculinity. The morning after he and Grady first hooked up, he unraveled a speech about his identity and love for Grady that, I believe, is one of the most tear-jerking monologues I’ve ever heard on T.V., and Grady’s reactions are just as sweet.

Hunter’s language, as well as Arnaud’s commendable acting chops, produces a serious layer to the show that makes this watch a love letter to those forced in the dark for their sexuality, and a treat for romance lovers point blank. Hunter and Grady’s personas are certainly palette cleansers compared to the “hot and heavy” elements of Hollander and Rozanov’s relationship. As much as their dynamic is slow-burn entertainment, the people need something sweeter and deeper than merely, I hate to say it, late night bootycalls to balance out their savory content. Sometimes, audiences need something more predictable in a story, and Hunter and Grady fit that bill. Their love is utterly predictable.

Unfortunately for Hollander and Rozanov, it takes them an entire season for them to be transparent about their affections toward each other. Their sex throughout the show, however, is cinematographically electrifying.

3. Rozanov “Spills His Heart Out”

I was talking to a girlfriend of mine about her favorite part of Heated Rivalry, and she said, “The part where Ilya talks to Shane about his f’d up childhood in Russian.” At first, I was skeptical, as my brain was more consumed by the show’s sex scenes than anything else (cue the GIF of Carrie Bradshaw and her besties tilting their heads to the side).

However, I watched the scene a second time to gain a greater sense of her feelings toward it, and all I could mutter to myself was, “Damnit, she’s right.” Rozanov is rightfully a private man, especially around Hollander. His father’s dying from Dementia, his brother hounds him for money, his mother took her own life when he was young, and his family overall is unbelievably unappreciative of his hard work. He gets no love and support from anyone. But he does get love from Hollander, and that very love is what makes him come out about his private life through his Russian tongue—a powerful climax in their relationship.

This scene is so well done. First off, I love that Hollander, an English-speaking guy who only speaks English, encourages Rozanov to speak in his native tongue about his troubles. It shows that despite their language barrier, Hollander is all ears for this man, thirsty for his voice and to be his comrade in all aspects of his life. And isn’t that what love is?

Williams’ acting chops here are fabulous, too. His silent act of closing his eyes while listening to Rozanov speak Russian generates such an intimate atmosphere. It feels so personal, almost as if I shouldn’t be watching them at that moment. I additionally love Storrie’s acting. He keeps his physical composure while confessing his sufferings and professing his love for Hollander, but you can also feel him unraveling inside through his tone of voice, pinpointing his character arc. 

This moment in the show not only showcases the emotional depth of Game Changers, but also the fabulous performances of Williams and Storrie. I hope their careers continue to bloom within and beyond this project.

Intrigued?

Heated Rivalry is now streaming on HBO Max and Crave. Watch it today!