Among the roughly 600 athletes in the National Hockey League, only thirty are Black. Mattie Slaughter, a hockey prodigy hailing from the rural Black community of North Preston, aspires to become the thirty-first. To achieve this dream, Mattie must steer clear of any trouble. This proves challenging, however, as he attends a school where racism affects every encounter, his older brother is involved in shady dealings, and he has feelings for a girl who is already in a relationship.