Connor Storrie proves he’s got chops beyond Heated Rivalry as SNL host

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If there’s one TV show that has a knack for capitalizing on a moment, it’s Saturday Night Live. Booking Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie to host the Feb. 28 episode didn’t just tap into the show’s success, it also kept hockey in the chat after a week where the sport has been making headlines – both good and bad – in the U.S. and beyond.

That also meant the pressure was on for 26-year-old Storrie as he took the coveted stage at 30 Rock. How would he fare among the late-night players? Would the writers lean into the gay hockey of it all? Would Heated Rivalry co-star Hudson Williams show up?

In the end, Storrie used his appearance to prove he’s more than just the Russian hockey player from the Crave series, even when the material he was working with was weak. Here are the five biggest highlights from the episode.

Opinion: In the wake of the Olympics, with Heated Rivalry still smouldering, hockey has never been bigger

An earnest dream

The opening monologue sets the tone for what the night will bring, and Storrie delivered a balance between an excited newcomer and aspiring serious actor. He admitted that, six months ago, he was a waiter and no one knew him, and now, thanks to Heated Rivalry, his entire life has changed. He said he cried when he got the call to host the show, and for a moment, it looked as though he might tear up during his monologue, too. But then he delivered a bit where he switched from grateful and earnest to a serious, ego-driven actor, showing surprising range.

Then, just when it was starting to feel long, American hockey player brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes showed up with their Olympic gold medals to inquire about Storrie’s “hockey show.” Fellow gold medalists Hilary Knight and Megan Keller then joined them with a pointed jab about being invited to SNL first – but not wanting the guys to feel left out.

The Heated Rivalry of it all

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SNL writers made the decision to manage expectations early on with a guest-appearance by Hudson Williams during one of the night’s strongest sketches. Williams’s appearance wasn’t central to the sketch, and that made it feel more seamless. Then, he took the stage again with Storrie to introduce musical guest Mumford & Sons’ first performance.

The show mostly stayed away from Heated Rivalry references. Williams didn’t go on stage again until the end of the episode when Storrie gave his thanks. As the feed switched from Global TV to NBC, Canadians might have missed the giant grin on Storrie’s face as the cameras panned out. The equally massive hug that Williams gave Storrie for a job well done reflected their well-documented offscreen friendship, and what this opportunity meant for both of them.

Accents and impressions

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If there’s a place to show off your range and skills, SNL is it. Storrie took every opportunity to demonstrate that he can do accents and impressions with the best of them. It was an impressive turn that proved the actor is full of talent, and his Russian accent from Heated Rivalry is just a taste of what he can do.

Getting physical

While most of the night’s sketches relied on Storrie playing a younger character, the final sketch of the evening was him playing a stripper who had been hit by a car on his way to the job. The sketch itself was fine, but what elevated it was Storrie’s physicality and his portrayal of the character. One second, he was comatose mid gyration, the next, he was pulsing his butt on the floor while his upper half stopped working. It was a fun bit that he committed to in full, which sold it to audiences.

Fewer players per sketch

The biggest takeaway from the night was how well Storrie anchored every sketch he was in. It’s easy for a host to fade into the background against big personalities or to break character with some of the sillier material. Storrie did neither and projected main-character energy throughout.

Even when the writing was weak, such as in the Severance-style office dance sketch or tutoring the cool kid bit, Storrie dove in. He humanized the sketches with punchlines that never felt forced or overplayed and proved that he’s a force to be reckoned with – on or off the ice.