Star hockey players drafted in the same year, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov play for rival hockey teams, the Montreal Voyageurs and the Boston Bears, and are often compared to one another. Canadian Shane is serious and introverted, and is known for his focus and discipline. Russian Ilya is a cocky party boy famed for both his talent and charisma. Shane has a close and supportive relationship with his parents, but Ilya's mother passed away when he was young, and he has a tense relationship with his family in Russia. Shane and Ilya first meet as junior players, leading the teams of their respective nations. During
the NHL draft, they meet again by chance and begin to feel a mutual sense of rivalry and attraction. After filming a sponsor video together, they hook up in Shane's hotel room. Over the course of several years, Shane and Ilya continue to secretly meet for sexual encounters when their teams are in the same city. Both feel as though their relationship cannot go beyond casual sex, given their ongoing rivalry, and homophobia within their sport. After a hookup, Ilya asks Shane to stay at his home and spend time with him. Shane realizes that Ilya feels romantically towards him, and is alarmed by his own realization that he himself would like more from their relationship. Shane has not yet come to terms with his attraction to men, and he fears that a relationship between himself and Ilya would conflict with their careers. While Ilya is bisexual and frequently engages in casual relationships with women, Shane recognizes that he is gay after briefly dating Rose Landry, a famous actress with whom he remains friends. Shane and Ilya are assigned as teammates at
an All-Star Game and reconcile, agreeing to be friends. Later that year, Ilya suddenly withdraws from a game, and Shane reaches out to him, learning that Ilya's abusive father has died after a long struggle with
Alzheimer's disease. Both are forced to confront their deepening feelings for each other. Ilya contemplates ending their relationship, fearing that the romantic relationship they want is incompatible with their careers. Shane invites Ilya to spend two weeks together at Shane's remote summer cottage in
Ontario, which would give them the privacy they need to spend time together. While Ilya is initially hesitant, he accepts after
Scott Hunter, another famous NHL player, wins the
Stanley Cup and publicly announces his relationship with another man. During their time together, Shane and Ilya confess their mutual love for each other and agree to start a romantic relationship. Ilya also reveals that his mother had severe depression and died by suicide. The two are accidentally discovered together by Shane's parents, who are surprised, but ultimately accept Shane's sexuality and his relationship with Ilya. To make their relationship easier, Ilya signs a contract with the NHL team in
Ottawa. Ilya and Shane also plan to create a joint charity, a mental health organization named in honor of Ilya's mother, both to use their wealth for a cause that matters to them, and to provide a pretext for the end of their public rivalry. They agree to eventually announce their relationship to the public after they both retire from the NHL. In the meantime, they publicly announce their joint charity and friendship, to the surprise of the press. == Reception ==