Upon arriving in DC, Emmy is greeted by her high school friend and new roommate, Piper Mitchell, who works in the Stars’ broadcasting department. As Emmy settles in, she asks Piper about Maverick. Piper confirms Maverick has a reputation for bringing women to his hotel room after curfew but also describes him as kind, generous with his charity work, and well-liked by his teammates. They also discuss the Stars’ history of losing seasons and the reason for Emmy’s roster spot, an early-season ACL tear suffered by the team’s elite rookie winger, Finn Adams.

DC Stars captain Maverick Miller wakes up hungover with a woman he met the previous night whose name he can’t recall. After he awkwardly gets the woman to leave, his teammate and friend, defenseman Hudson Hayes, arrives. Hudson mentions that their teammate Ryan Seymour is throwing a team pool party, but Maverick explains he has to meet with Coach Saunders and skate with the team’s new player, Emerson Hartwell. Maverick admits to Hudson that he has not yet watched Emerson’s games and is going into the meeting unprepared, assuming the new player is a man.

At the arena, Maverick spots an attractive woman with red hair near the players’ entrance. Mistaking her for a fan, he flirts with her and invites her back to his apartment. She plays along briefly before stating her real purpose is to beat him on the ice. Confused, Maverick follows her into a boardroom, where she formally introduces herself as Emerson Hartwell. Maverick laughs, thinking it’s a prank, which infuriates Coach Saunders. The coach pulls Maverick into his office and reprimands him for being unprofessional, disrespectful, and unprepared for the meeting with his new teammate.

After Coach Saunders apologizes for Maverick’s behavior, Emmy and Maverick have a tense on-ice session. Maverick proposes a “1 v 1 tag up” (32), which Emmy objects to as a peewee drill beneath her level. However, having studied his game footage, she repeatedly uses her knowledge of his weaknesses to score on him. While annoyed, Maverick is also impressed by her skill. He points out a flaw in her technique, noting she relies too heavily on her dominant side. The session concludes with more antagonistic banter, and Emmy shoves Maverick, knocking him onto the ice.

In the team group chat, Maverick complains that no one told him Emmy is a woman. At Ryan’s team pool party, he confesses to Hudson about his embarrassing first encounter with Emmy, admitting he was completely unprepared. He also concedes that she is an exceptionally talented skater and says they need to talk to the team about not hitting on her and treating her with respect, though Hudson pointedly notes that Maverick himself hit on her first. Feeling off, Maverick turns down an advance from another woman and leaves the party early to babysit for his best friend, Dallas Lansfield, a kicker for the local NFL team.

On the morning of her first full team practice, Emmy receives a series of teasing texts from Maverick, who has all his teammates’ numbers because he’s captain. In the arena, she finds her temporary locker is a small, repurposed utility closet. Piper gives her a pep talk to help her with her nerves. On the ice, she is the first to arrive and quickly forms a friendly bond with Hudson. Maverick interrupts their conversation and attempts to be civil, leading to more banter. The practice begins with both Hudson and Maverick reassuring Emmy that they have her back, making her feel like part of the team.

Before Emmy’s official press conference and contract signing, the media room is packed with reporters. While they wait, Maverick initiates a get-to-know-you game he calls “Five Hundred Questions.” He asks Emmy why she seems hesitant to be proud of her accomplishments. She reveals that a former boyfriend was emotionally abusive and frequently belittled her achievements, claiming she only received opportunities because she was a woman. Maverick becomes angry and protective on her behalf. The press conference begins, and a reporter named Simon Buttecker immediately starts a condescending line of questioning, implying that Emmy won’t be able to measure up to the other NHL players because she’s a woman.

Maverick immediately interrupts Buttecker, defending Emmy and threatening to have the reporter’s press access revoked if he does not treat all his teammates with respect. Hudson Hayes steps in to diffuse the tension, and Coach Saunders then closes the Q&A before Emmy officially signs her contract. Afterward, Maverick invites Emmy to the team’s weekly Tuesday dinner at his house, but she declines, wishing to keep their interactions professional. Hudson teases Maverick about his obvious interest in her.

The narrative moves forward to Emmy’s first NHL game. She’s extremely nervous, and she uses negative social media comments about her as motivation. She gets a supportive pre-game call from Grady. In the tunnel before puck drop, Maverick eases her tension by telling her an embarrassing story about his own debut, where he scored on the wrong goal. During the game, Emmy receives a standing ovation and plays limited minutes. In the final seconds, instead of taking a shot herself, she makes a smart pass to a teammate, Ethan, who scores. Emmy earns an assist in her debut, and the team celebrates her successful performance.