Ryan's laid-back attitude should be an advantage in Indianapolis. Even if he doesn't accomplish much on the ice, he can help his burned-out teammates off it. And no one needs a friend-or a hug-more than Nico Kirschbaum, the team's struggling would-be superstar.

Nico doesn't appreciate that management traded for another openly gay player and told them to make friends. Maybe he doesn't know what his problem is, but he'll solve it with hard work, not by bonding with the class clown.

It's obvious to Ryan that Nico's lonely, gifted, and cracking under pressure. No amount of physical practice will fix his mental game. But convincing Nico to let Ryan help means getting closer than is wise for Ryan's heart-especially once he unearths Nico's sense of humor.

Will Nico and Ryan risk making a pass, or will they keep missing 100 percent of the shots they don't take?