When 13-year-old Gary McDonald plays hockey on his backyard rink, anything seems possible — even one day playing in the NHL. But Gary is small for his age, and, bullied by teammates and threatened with expulsion by his coach, he's finding his first year of bantam hockey tough. With hockey going nowhere and his mother and father separated, the only positive things in Gary’s life are the arrival of the New Mexico Snow Dogs’ farm team and his new friendship with Dmitri. But Dmitri’s brother soon gets involved with the Russian mafia, and the Snow Dogs consider leaving for a bigger city. Gary wonders what's next. Nancy Russell thoughtfully explores the tumultuous world of a beleaguered boy determined to beat the odds.