The hottest show in hockey, ‘Heated Rivalry,’ is embraced by fans and players at Winter Olympics

By FERNANDA FIGUEROA and KEN MAGUIRE MILAN (AP) — Olympic hockey knows all about big hits. That now includes ” Heated Rivalry ” a gay hockey romance TV series in which two players from opposing teams carry out a secret, long-term relationship. The steamy connection between the characters — Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov — has attracted fans to both the show and the sport itself, with the NHL seeing a boost in ticket sales by one estimate. The show’s impact was evident long before the Milan Cortina Olympics when co-stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie carried the Olympic flame. And it hasn’t stopped there. Athletes and fans from...