In the fifth episode of Heated Rivalry, a public kiss between Scott Hunter and his boyfriend Kip Grady becomes the pivotal moment that gives Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov the courage to imagine a future together.
Titled “I’ll Believe in Anything,” the episode, which premiered on December 19, 2025, on HBO Max and Crave, balances intense personal breakthroughs for the main couple with a game-changing public declaration from a supporting character. As Shane and Ilya grapple with their secret feelings and the very real dangers of coming out, the bold action of another player provides the proof they desperately needed that a different path is possible.
The Emotional Stakes Rise for Shane and Ilya
The episode opens with Shane Hollander finally admitting the truth about his sexuality to his girlfriend, actress Rose Landry. In a gentle conversation, Rose asks Shane if he’s ever been with a man. Shane confirms he is gay, marking the first time he has openly said this to another person. Rose, understanding and supportive, ends their romantic relationship but remains a friend, giving Shane a crucial first experience of acceptance.
This personal breakthrough empowers Shane to be more honest with Ilya Rozanov. The two find themselves in Tampa Bay for the NHL All-Star Game, playing on the same team for once. In a vulnerable moment in Ilya’s hotel room, Shane tells him about coming out to Rose and directly addresses the nature of their own relationship.
“The last time we were together… it felt like we were something,” Shane tells Ilya.
Shane asks if Ilya would want them to be “something” if circumstances were different. Ilya’s refusal is rooted not in a lack of feeling, but in the harsh reality of his life in Russia, where homosexuality is heavily stigmatized and could put him in danger.
This leads to the most intimate scene between them yet, as Ilya opens up about his traumatic childhood. He shares that his mother died by suicide when he was young and that his father, from whom he is estranged, is now suffering from dementia. For the first time, Shane sees past Ilya’s cocky exterior to the pain beneath, and he comforts him.
A Devastating Phone Call and a Secret Confession
The emotional tension escalates when Ilya’s father dies, forcing him to return to Moscow for the funeral. In a state of grief and isolation, Ilya FaceTimes Shane. In a moment of raw need, he asks Shane to take his clothes off, seeking connection and escape. Later, after a bitter fight with his brother, Ilya calls Shane again but struggles to express his turmoil in English.
Shane offers a simple solution: “Tell me everything that’s on your mind, but in Russian. I won’t understand, but maybe it’ll help”.
Ilya agrees, and in a flood of Russian, he unleashes his grief, his hatred for his home, and his overwhelming love for Shane.
“That’s the worst fucking part of all this. That all I want is you. It’s always you. I’m so in love with you and I don’t know what to do about it,” Ilya confesses.
The tragedy is that Shane, who doesn’t speak Russian, has no idea what was just said. The audience is left with the heartbreaking weight of this one-sided confession.
A Crisis on the Ice and an Invitation
The professional world soon collides with their private turmoil. During a game, Shane takes a severe hit from an opponent and is carried off the ice on a stretcher, suffering a concussion and a fractured collarbone. Ilya’s panic is visible as he watches from the bench, and he later visits Shane in the hospital.
In the hospital room, a concussed but relieved Shane is mostly upset that their plans to meet after the game are ruined. He uses the moment to ask Ilya a significant question: would he come to Shane’s family cottage in Canada for the summer, where they could be alone together?
“Maybe,” Ilya replies, revealing his deep fear of taking such a definitive step toward a real relationship.
Scott Hunter Changes the Game
While Shane recovers at his parents’ home, he and Ilya text as they watch the Stanley Cup Finals on television. The New York Admirals, led by captain Scott Hunter, win the championship. As is tradition, players’ families and loved ones come onto the ice to celebrate.
Scott, however, appears to be alone. Then, he spots Kip Grady—the barista he fell for in Episode 3 but ultimately pushed away because he was too afraid to come out—watching from the stands. In a stunning, unscripted moment, Scott waves Kip down to the ice, pulls him close, and kisses him in front of the cheering arena and millions of television viewers.
Shane and Ilya watch, stunned, from their separate homes. They see the arena’s reaction, the news coverage, and Scott later throwing the ceremonial first puck at a Pride event at New York’s Stonewall Inn. For the first time, they are witnessing a top NHL player not just surviving but triumphing after publicly coming out.
This single act of courage serves as the catalyst they lacked. The impossible suddenly looks possible. Shortly after, Ilya calls Shane. His message is simple and decisive, a direct answer to the hospital invitation: “I’m coming to da cottage”.
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Why Scott Hunter’s Storyline Is Essential
For viewers, Scott and Kip’s love story was first explored in depth in Episode 3, “Hunter,” which adapted elements from Rachel Reid’s first Game Changers novel, Game Changer. In that episode, Scott’s fear of losing his career led him to end things with Kip, choosing his closet over his heart.
His journey runs parallel to Shane and Ilya’s. All three are closeted professional athletes, but Scott’s narrative shows a different arc and, ultimately, a different choice. His very public kiss in Episode 5 is not just a happy ending for his character; it is a narrative gift to Shane and Ilya. It provides them with living proof that the risk they are so terrified to take can have a positive outcome, breaking the mental barrier that had kept them trapped.
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