The first season of the breakout hockey romance series Heated Rivalry concludes on Friday, December 26, 2025, with the release of its sixth and final episode, titled “The Cottage.” The episode will be available for streaming at 12:01 a.m. ET on HBO Max in the United States and on Crave in Canada. Based on the popular novel by Rachel Reid, the show’s finale promises to bring the central couple to a pivotal, intimate moment away from the pressures of professional sports.
The series, which follows the secret relationship between rival hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, has become a major hit. It was renewed for a second season just 15 days after its premiere, confirming its status as Crave’s biggest original series debut ever. The finale marks the end of the show’s initial six-episode run but guarantees more story to come.
Worldwide Release Dates and Platforms
For international viewers, “The Cottage” will be available at the same time in Canada on Crave. Fans in the United Kingdom will be able to stream the entire first season beginning January 10, 2026, on Sky and Now streaming services. In the United States, HBO Max holds the exclusive streaming rights.
The series has followed a consistent weekly release schedule since its two-episode premiere on November 28. All episodes have become available to stream at 12:01 a.m. ET (9:01 p.m. PT) each Friday.
What to Expect From the Season 1 Finale, “The Cottage”
The finale’s title references a key location from Rachel Reid’s original novel, “Heated Rivalry.” The episode follows the dramatic conclusion of Episode 5, “I’ll Believe in Anything,” where rival player Scott Hunter publicly kissed his boyfriend, Kip Grady, on the ice after winning a championship. Witnessing this brave act, Ilya immediately calls Shane and agrees to visit him at his secluded cottage for the summer.
“I think it’s very, very true to the book,” series star Connor Storrie (Ilya Rozanov) said in an interview. “That’s my favorite episode, personally. That’s my favorite part of the entire thing.”
This extended, private time together is expected to be a turning point for Shane and Ilya’s relationship. The penultimate episode was notable for being the first where the two did not share a physical intimate scene, instead focusing on emotional phone and video calls where they began using each other’s first names. This shift in dynamics sets the stage for the finale to explore their feelings more deeply.
Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander, teased that while the episode stays true to the spirit of the book, the show’s ending crafted by showrunner Jacob Tierney may have some differences. “There is some difference in Episode 6 versus the end of Heated Rivalry I hope [fans] enjoy,” Williams said. “But I think the sort of soul of it and the sentiment is very—”.
The Cast and Crew Behind the Series
The series features Hudson Williams as the disciplined and publicly adored Shane Hollander, and Connor Storrie as the confident yet privately vulnerable Ilya Rozanov. The main cast for the finale also includes:
- François Arnaud as Scott Hunter
- Sophie Nélisse as Rose Landry
- Robbie G.K. as Kip Grady
- Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh as Shane’s parents, Yuna and David Hollander
The show is led by showrunner Jacob Tierney, who also directed the season. Author Rachel Reid served as a consulting producer on the series. The show has been praised for its authentic portrayal of queer relationships and its commitment to the novel’s explicit and emotional content, which fans refer to as “premium smut”.
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Looking Ahead to Season 2
The confirmed second season renewal means that the story of Shane and Ilya will continue, though the episode count for the new season has not yet been announced. The renewal decision was made swiftly due to the show’s instant popularity and record-breaking debut numbers for Crave.
Supporting actor Robbie G.K., who plays Kip, expressed enthusiasm for returning. “There’s a whole world between Scott and Kip,” he said. “If we chose to explore that more, I would be thrilled to just be a part of any and everything that I could get my hands on.”
The series is an adaptation of the second book in Reid’s Game Changers series, which consists of six novels focusing on different couples within the same universe. This provides ample source material for future seasons to explore other characters and relationships introduced in the first season.
Also Read: Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams Talks About Overcoming Bias and What He Learned From Playing Shane
