59 pages • 1-hour read
Game Changer
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Chapter 25-EpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of anti-gay bias, cursing, and sexual content.
Chapter 25 Summary
Scott returns to the Straw+Berry smoothie shop, startling Kip and Maria. He orders a blue smoothie to return to basics and asks Kip to meet him after the game that night. After Scott leaves, Maria confronts Kip about their relationship, and Kip makes Maria promise to keep it a secret.
From Scott’s perspective, despite his bandaged hands from a recent fight, he feels focused for the upcoming game. Seeing Kip in the stands fills him with confidence, which he attributes to love rather than superstition. The Admirals win convincingly as Scott scores twice. After the game, Scott texts Kip and asks him to come to the apartment.
When Scott arrives home, they embrace emotionally. Scott apologizes and admits he is still terrified of coming out publicly. He explains his fear stems from the anti-gay sentiment that is deeply ingrained in hockey culture, from boarding school through the professional ranks. Scott reveals he once had feelings for a junior hockey teammate named Jacob but was too afraid to act. He fears losing the respect of his teammates, who have become his only family.
Kip promises to stand by Scott through the coming-out process. They reaffirm their love and agree Scott will wait until after the playoffs to go public. Kip reveals he was accepted to NYU for his master’s degree and has given notice at the smoothie shop for a job at the Kingfisher. Scott promises to visit him there when he can.
That night, Kip slowly kisses Scott’s body before performing oral sex. As Kip sleeps on his chest, Scott silently promises to “be the man Kip need[s]” (301).
Chapter 26 Summary
The morning after their reconciliation, Scott wakes beside Kip and watches him sleep. They flirt and have sex before Kip leaves for work.
On the team plane to Detroit, Scott’s confidence wavers, but thinking about his future with Kip solidifies his resolve. Alone in his hotel room, he calls his agent, Todd, and tells him for the first time that he is gay and wants to make a public announcement. Todd reacts with alarm, warning that Scott will lose sponsorships and alienate teammates. Despite Todd’s pessimism, Scott remains determined.
The next morning, Scott makes two lists comparing what he would lose by coming out versus not coming out. He realizes that keeping silent will definitely cost him “his sanity, his self-respect, [and] Kip” (311). Scott texts his three closest friends—Carter, Huff, and Eric—to meet in his room. Nervously, he tells them he is gay. After a moment of shock, they offer their support. Bennett admits he suspected, and Huff and Carter promise to have his back. Carter recognizes Kip from photos online. After they leave, Scott cries with relief.
That evening in New York, Kip watches the game with his parents as Scott scores a hat trick, securing the win. The following evening, Scott appears unannounced at the door of Kip’s family home in Bay Ridge.
Chapter 27 Summary
When Kip introduces Scott as a friend, Scott corrects him, declaring he is Kip’s boyfriend. Kip’s mother, Margaret Grady, and father, George Grady, are delighted and invite Scott to dinner.
Kip takes Scott to his childhood bedroom to talk privately. Scott immediately kisses him passionately, pressing him against his desk. Kip stops them, reminding Scott his parents are waiting downstairs. Scott reveals he told his three closest teammates about being gay and in love with Kip. He promises to come out publicly after the playoffs. Scott asks Kip to come to his place that night.
At dinner, Scott tells the Gradys he has decided to come out soon and declares he is in love with their son and no longer “cares who knows it” (321). Margaret cries with happiness.
Back at Scott’s apartment, they kiss fervently in the elevator and hallway. In the bedroom, their passion escalates. Kip performs oral sex on Scott, then Scott flips them over and begins kissing down Kip’s body. As Scott prepares Kip for sex, they share fantasies about their early attraction to one another. They have sex, both reaching orgasm.
Cuddling afterward, Scott impulsively asks Kip to move in with him. Kip accepts, and Scott becomes giddy with plans for their shared home and future together.
Chapter 28 Summary
With the Admirals advancing to the Stanley Cup finals against Los Angeles, Scott meets privately with Coach Murdock and tells him he is gay. Murdock, initially surprised, shares his experience as a pioneering Black player in the NHL and promises to support Scott. In the hallway, Carter apologizes for being distant, explaining he felt hurt that Scott hadn’t confided in him sooner. They reconcile with a hug. Carter then offers Scott his reservation at a discreet, romantic restaurant so Scott can take Kip on a proper date.
Kip frets over what to wear and texts Elena for fashion advice. At the restaurant, Scott waits nervously in a private booth. When Kip arrives, they share their first public date. During a charged moment, Scott reflexively pulls away when a sommelier approaches, but he immediately apologizes and then takes Kip’s hand openly on the table. Over wine and dinner, they flirt and discuss their future.
Chapter 29 Summary
On the day of the Stanley Cup finals, Kip finishes his last shift at Straw+Berry. At the apartment, he brings Scott a blue smoothie for luck. Scott tells Kip he is grateful for him, explaining that years of loneliness and hiding his identity had caused him to “los[e his] love for hockey” (342). Kip promises to be there for the rest of Scott’s career.
Before the game, Kip meets Maria and Elena for drinks. Maria grills him about his relationship with Scott. Kip reveals he has moved in with Scott but has not yet told their friend Shawn. They joke about Scott’s physique before heading to the arena.
During the tense third period, Scott scores the game-winning goal with two minutes remaining. The Admirals win the Stanley Cup. The team celebrates wildly on the ice, and Scott is awarded the playoff MVP trophy. Overcome with emotion, Scott cries and silently dedicates the win to his late mother.
Watching his teammates celebrate with their families, Scott feels it is wrong that Kip cannot join him. On impulse, he summons Kip to the penalty box area and tells him to climb over the glass. As Kip falls into his arms, Scott kisses him passionately in front of the crowd and cameras. Their kiss is broadcast on the arena’s giant screens. Scott leads Kip onto the ice and hands him to Huff, who introduces him to his wife, Laura, before Scott turns to face the media.
In the chaotic locker room party, Carter and Eric officially meet Kip and welcome him warmly, promising their support. Scott tells Kip the team-only celebration will begin soon, kisses him goodbye in front of his teammates, and says he will see him at home.
At home, Kip’s phone fills with shocked and congratulatory texts from friends. He repeatedly watches a viral video of Scott’s on-ice interview, where Scott proudly confirms he is gay and that Kip is his boyfriend. Scott arrives home at 3:30 in the morning. He apologizes for coming out so impulsively, but Kip tells him it was romantic. They kiss and reaffirm their love before going to bed together.
Epilogue Summary
Several weeks later, Scott and Kip attend the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. Scott wins the Hart Trophy for league MVP. In his acceptance speech, he jokes about his fellow nominee and rival Ilya Rozanov before speaking openly about the loneliness of being a closeted athlete and the exhausting burden of hiding his identity. He discusses the positive messages he has received from young fans since coming out. Scott publicly thanks Kip, calling him the person who “change[d] everything and gave him the “strength […] to be honest” (359). Looking directly at Kip in the audience, Scott says he loves him, and Kip mouths it back. Scott concludes by inviting everyone to a local gay club hosting a Scott Hunter Night.
At the club, Scott and Kip are joined in the VIP section by Carter, his girlfriend Gloria, Huff, Eric, and Jalo. Scott reflects on his upcoming summer plans, which include a feature in Sports Illustrated. He admires Kip’s appearance, particularly the eyeliner he is wearing, seeing it as bold defiance of stereotypes.
On his way back from the bathroom, Scott is surprised to encounter Rozanov. Rozanov tells Scott that coming out was good and will help others. Scott invites him to join their group.
Kip asks Scott to dance. On the crowded floor, they kiss and move together closely. Scott feels euphoric and slightly out of control. Kip gestures for their friends to join them on the dance floor. Scott observes Rozanov dancing comfortably with other men and realizes their small group of hockey players represents a revolution. Kip tells Scott they should “change the fucking world” (366). Scott kisses him hard and agrees.
Chapter 25-Epilogue Analysis
The final chapters resolve the novel’s central tension, The Conflict Between Public Persona and Private Self, by staging a deliberate integration of Scott’s two identities. This involves a series of decisive acts that culminate in a public declaration. The narrative charts this integration through a progression of increasingly open spaces. Scott’s emotional reconciliation with Kip occurs in the privacy of his apartment, a sanctuary for his hidden self. Their first real date takes place in a discreet restaurant, a semi-public space chosen to mitigate risk. The climax unfolds in the most public arena possible: on the ice, immediately after winning the Stanley Cup. Scott summoning Kip over the glass and kissing him is a physical and symbolic act of breaking down the barrier that has separated his professional success from his personal truth. This act transforms the rink from a stage for his public persona into a platform for his authentic self, making his private love an inextricable part of his public triumph.
This resolution is predicated on the novel’s exploration of Vulnerability as a Catalyst for Growth and Success. Scott’s breakthrough, both personally and professionally, is directly linked to his willingness to be vulnerable. His confession to Kip about the deep-seated anti-gay culture in hockey—where he believed that “if anyone even thought I wanted another boy, it would all be over” (296)—is the moment his fear is articulated and can be dismantled. This act of emotional exposure rebuilds his relationship with Kip, which in turn restores his on-ice prowess. He explicitly rejects superstition in favor of connection, recognizing that his newfound confidence is the strength he draws from love. This pattern repeats as he comes out to his agent, teammates, and coach. Each act of vulnerability, though terrifying, strengthens his support system and solidifies his resolve. The narrative demonstrates that the premise of his fear—that secrecy was essential for his career—was false. It is only after he embraces vulnerability that he achieves the dual pinnacle of his career: the Stanley Cup and the Hart Trophy.
The narrative also explores Redefining Masculinity in a Hypermasculine World through Scott’s actions. Scott’s coming out serves as a test of the sport’s rigid cultural codes, and the reactions of his teammates provide a model for a more inclusive form of male solidarity. The support from his closest friends and from Coach Murdock—who contextualizes Scott’s struggle with his own experience as a pioneering Black player—affirms coming out as an act of integrity aligned with the sport’s values of courage and strength. The Epilogue completes this thematic arc by placing a group of hockey players, including Scott’s rival Ilya Rozanov, comfortably within a gay nightclub. This scene portrays a significant cultural shift, framing their collective presence not merely as tolerance but as a “revolution” (366) against the sport’s exclusionary history.
Structurally, these final chapters cement the argument that personal authenticity is the ultimate victory. The plot’s climax is twofold, pairing the professional achievement of the Stanley Cup win with the personal triumph of Scott’s public coming out. The narrative deliberately intertwines these events, suggesting that one is incomplete without the other. Scott’s realization on the ice that celebrating without Kip is an injustice impels his spontaneous action. The story does not end with the hoisting of the trophy but continues through the public affirmation of his identity in the on-ice interview and, later, in his MVP acceptance speech. The Epilogue extends the resolution beyond the hockey season, focusing on the couple’s shared future and the societal impact of Scott’s decision. This structural choice prioritizes long-term personal fulfillment over a singular professional accomplishment, defining success as the freedom to live an integrated, authentic life.
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