During the game, Doug suffers a head injury that permanently damages his peripheral vision, costing him a shot to play in the NHL and forcing him to retire from ice hockey.

During Kate's event, her partner apparently accidentally drops her, albeit with little sign of regret or concern, during their program, costing them a chance at the gold medal.

He tracks down Doug, who is back home in Minnesota, working in a steel mill and as a carpenter on the side, living with his brother, and playing in a hockey bar league.

Desperate for another chance at Olympic glory, Doug agrees to work as Kate's partner, even though he has macho contempt for figure skating.

However, the temporary rift is set aside as they attempt to train in a risky skating move invented by Pamchenko, which will assure them a gold medal if they can pull it off without serious injury.

"[7] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F.[8] Of the leads, Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote "Kelly and Sweeney are evenly matched",[9] and the Chicago Tribune's Gene Siskel said "the chemistry between the co-stars makes it work".

[10] Thomas added, "the entire cast and crew deserve full marks for their determination in making something special out of material that so easily could have been bland, predictable or sentimental".

[9] In another positive review, Stephen Holden of The New York Times said, "Ms. Kelly's uncompromising portrayal of a high-strung prima donna whose outrageous willfulness masks a girlish vulnerability gives the picture a big charge of energy.

"[11] In The Baltimore Sun, Stephen Hunter described it as "Taming of the Shrew on ice" and pointed out its lack of realism, but said that it made for an enjoyable film with charm.