"Queer and straight fans alike connect with the show on multiple levels. "Heated Rivalry" celebrates the joy of queer desire, diverse queer identities (Shane is gay, Ilya is bisexual), and the importance of supportive friends as well as parents during the coming-out process. Our post focuses on Shane's coming out in Episode 6 ("The Cottage"), but it's just one example depicted in the show."
"In Episode 5, another hockey player (Scott Hudson) comes out very publicly after winning "the cup," and this act of public courage sets the stage for our central duo. In fact, it's right after Scott kisses his boyfriend Kip on the ice that Ilya tells Shane, who invited him to his cottage, "I'm coming to the cottage." In anticipation for Episode 6-the series finale-fans blasted social media with endless memes and exhilarating reels about going to the cottage or waiting to go to the cottage."
A screen adaptation of Rachel Reid's novel follows two hockey players, Shane and Ilya, whose rivalry evolves into a romantic relationship from rookie season to professional careers. The narrative celebrates queer desire and diverse identities—Shane is gay and Ilya is bisexual—while centering supportive friends and parents during coming-out moments. Episode 5 depicts a public coming out after a championship victory; Episode 6 focuses on Shane's coming out at a cottage invitation. Fans generated heavy social media response around the cottage moment. The story offers lessons for parents, friends, and counselors on how to support queer youth in sports settings.
Read at Psychology Today
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