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‘I am unwell!’: Heated Rivalry’s heartwarming finale leaves fans emotionally wrecked

WORDS BY JORDAN ROBLEDO

26th December 2025

The Heated Rivalry season finale has left fans (including us) inconsolable.

After five weeks of longing, steamy encounters, and heartbreaking moments, viewers were finally treated to the final episode of the gay hockey romance drama on 26 December.

Titled ‘The Cottage,’ the episode picks up after the events of episode five, in which Scott (François Arnaud) comes out to the world by kissing Kip at the MLH Cup, and Ilya agrees to join Shane on a romantic getaway.

Before Shane and Ilya head to the cottage, we see Scott accept the ‘Most Valuable Player’ award at the MLH Awards, delivering a heartfelt speech about embracing his sexuality and relationship.

The story then shifts to Shane picking up Ilya at the airport. During the drive, Shane reassures him that the woodland cottage is completely private, joking that his parents won’t bother them because he lied about attending a silent retreat.

After their scenic drive, the pair arrived at the luxurious cottage, where Shane gave Ilya a detailed tour — naturally, it ended with an intimate moment between the two.

As the getaway unfolds, Shane and Ilya connect on a deeper level. Shane opens up about his parents, while Ilya shares the tragic story of his mother’s death.

Beyond family, the couple confront the elephant in the room: their professional and personal futures.

While tossing a football in the yard, Ilya reveals that he’ll be a free agent next season, hinting at the possibility of signing with a Canadian team and expressing his desire to no longer hold a Russian passport.

Later, Ilya suggests marrying Svetlana (Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova) since she’s American. Shane is clearly unsettled by the idea, prompting him to ask why Ilya wouldn’t marry someone he actually has romantic feelings for.

Ilya admits that he can’t — and it’s because of his feelings for Shane.

While in bed, the two revisit the conversation, with Shane suggesting that Ilya sign with Ottawa — since it’s not far from Montreal — and proposing they start a charity together to reshape the narrative of their public-facing relationship.

Shane adds that, over time, Ilya could apply for Canadian citizenship, and that one day, after they retire, they could be together for real.

Overcome with emotion, Ilya begins to cry before declaring his love for Shane, who echoes the sentiment.

However, the romantic getaway takes a dramatic turn the following afternoon when Shane’s dad, David (Dylan Walsh), catches them kissing.

After an understandable freakout, the couple drives to Shane’s parents’ house to come clean about their relationship — and their sexualities.

Fortunately, the episode concludes with Yuna (Christina Chang) and David not only embracing Shane and Ilya’s relationship but also scheduling a time to come over for dinner.

Unsurprisingly, the heartwarming and deeply sweet Heated Rivalry finale has been a massive hit with fans on social media.

One X/Twitter user lauded Shane’s emotional coming out conversation with his mother, writing: “This scene means everything to me.”

Another fan credited the episode for revitalising their love for the romance genre, tweeting: “Lately I started ‘hating‘ any romance media, but I’ve had a deep realisation after watching Heated Rivalry, I don’t hate the romance genre, it’s just that no one was making it like this all these years. Hands down the best one.“

A third fan added: “After this (stunning) #HeatedRivalry finale, I’m actually convinced there needs to be a new TV awards category for Best Duo Performance. That was literal perfection from two formerly unknown actors.“

While season one has wrapped, our Heated Rivalry era is just getting started. Earlier this month, the show was officially renewed for a second season.

Shortly after the announcement, creator and writer Jacob Tierney spoke with Entertainment Weekly about what fans can expect from season two, which will be based on The Long Game.

“We’re following Shane and Ilya. That’s not gonna be a shock. There’s certainly a possibility we’ll have additional resources, and we can do some things that we would want to do,” he told the outlet.

Check out more fan reactions to the Heated Rivalry season one finale below.

For more Heated Rivalry content, click here. 

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