Heated Rivalry's Shane and Ilya could return on the ice sooner than expected, as Justin Stockman, Vice President of content development and programming at Bell Media, the parent company of the Canadian streamer Crave, has teased a bonus episode ahead of Season 2.While fans are eagerly awaiting the rivals-turned-lovers' return on their screens, Jacob Tierney is eyeing a Spring 2027 release for the sophomore season of his hit queer hockey series.For the uninitiated, Crave's Heated Rivalry is a queer hockey romance series based on Rachel Reid's Game Changers that follows a decade-long secret relationship between two star hockey players and arch-rivals, Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).Ever since the show's debut on Crave and HBO Max in late November, the series has become a Global hit, earning a second season renewal mere 15 days after its release. While Shane and Ilya's return is confirmed (in Spring 2027), fans are eagerly waiting to return to the Cottage sooner and Stockman's comments have filled them with hope.More on this in our story.Bell Media Vice President teases a bonus episode ahead of Heated Rivalry Season 2 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTo make the wait worthwhile, Heated Rivalry could release a special bonus episode before Season 2. Rumours about this special are making the rounds on social media after Stockman teased a potential episode in an interview with The Toronto Star.While addressing the possibility of a bonus episode, the Bell Media Vice President said:“We’re going to see what’s feasible. If Jacob Tierney can find a way to make the source material work in a way that gets us something sooner or something special, I’m sure he will.”He added:“I would love to have this back for the holidays next year, but that likely is not going to happen. We can’t rush the process. We won’t be able to repeat the magic if we push him.”While neither Crave nor Tierney has hinted at a potential Heated Rivalry bonus episode, this update has filled the fans with hope.Is there a bonus chapter in Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry book?Game Changers readers are especially hopeful for a bonus episode before Heated Rivalry Season 2, as Reid's second book follows a special short story, set 16 months after the events of the book.Titled My Dinner with Hayden, the bonus chapter follows Shane and Ilya as they attend a couple's dinner with Shane's best friend Hayden and his wife, Jackie. While Crave's series did not adapt Reid's epilogue, Shane comes out to his best friend Hayden in the book and admits his secret relationship with Ilya.This sets the stage for the couple's double date with Hayden and Jackie, which results in playful banter between Hayden and Ilya, as Shane bridges the gap between his boyfriend and best friend.Since Crave's Heated Rivalry could not explore Ilya's playful dynamics with Hayden (in the books), this bonus chapter could prepare fans for Season 2. Rachel Reid has a knack for delighting her fans with bonus chapters & short stories and My Dinner with Hayden stands out as a particular favorite among readers.Now that the Bell Media Vice President has teased a potential bonus episode, fans might get to see Shane and Ilya together sooner than expected.The second season of the Crave series, based on Reid's The Long Game, will begin filming in Summer 2026. The sophomore season will mark the return of Williams and Storrie as Shane and Ilya, respectively, with Jacob Tierney set to return as the showrunner and writer on the second entry.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow Soap Central.