THE END GOAL, Love, New York #1 (October 13, 2026)

A star NHL player goes toe-to-toe with his team’s new data analyst over the right strategy to make the playoffs, but will their heated feud on the ice turn into something even steamier off it?

She’s there to make the rules. He’s determined to break them.

Bree Morgan, a fiery financial wiz, is out of her league. Yesterday, she’d never seen a hockey game; today, she’s the senior advisor for her boss’s new acquisition, an NHL team based in Buffalo. Armed with analytics, she’s guaranteed a position as the youngest partner ever at her competitive Wall Street firm if she gets the team to the playoffs.

There’s just one person standing in her way: Jake Paxton, the thirty-two-year-old, 6’4’’ hockey captain with a reputation larger than his stature. He’s been the star player for years, but with all eyes on his paycheck and his age (er, experience), Jake’s upcoming contract renewal isn’t a sure thing. He’ll do whatever it takes to win the championship and secure his spot on the roster . . . except listen to some Manhattan data analyst who only understands numbers, not the game. 

When Bree and Jake are forced to work together, building frustration begins to feel dangerously like attraction. As sparks fly, the ice between them starts to melt. But with Bree returning to New York City soon, can they risk taking a shot on love, or is their budding romance doomed to end with the season?