RECAP: Giants Open Season With 3-2 OT Win Against Rockets

Category: ArticleSeptember 19, 2026

STORY BY QUINN TAYLOR

Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in overtime in their home opener on Saturday night at Langley Events Centre.

The game was scoreless until the third, when Vancouver took the lead thanks to Rhys Pederson. The Rockets responded with two goals of their own, but Vancouver tied it with less than two minutes remaining off a Joe Iginla goal on a power play, before Tobias Tomik won the game in overtime.

Goaltender Oliver Bryks picked up his first career win with 25 saves on 27 shots.

Ryan Oothoudt and Peyton Kettles had the goals for Kelowna.

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GAME SUMMARY

A slow start from both team lead to a scoreless first.

In the second period emotions ran high, which lead to three fights: Colton Gerrior took on Dane Sorenson, and less than two minutes later, Tobias Tomik fought Jakub Frolo and Sullivan Humeniuk had a tussle with Dawson Gerwing in the same stoppage.

In the third period, the Giants came out hot with a goal from Rhys Pederson, finally opening the scoring at the 6:52 mark.

The snipe from Pederson 🎯 https://t.co/lt1z75dP0d pic.twitter.com/riCIv0VcEw

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) September 20, 2026

The Rockets responded quickly with two goals of their own, one of which came on a 5-on-3 power play.

With under three minutes left, the Giants got on the power play and pulled their goalie.

During the 6-on-4, Joe Iginla riffled home a shot to tie the game late and send it to overtime, thanks to a great cross-ice pass from Tomik.

IGINLA TIES LATE!🚨 pic.twitter.com/MDIKolekG5

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) September 20, 2026

In the extra frame, the Giants got on the power play where Tomik blasted a one-timer for the overtime winner.

TOBIAS TOMIK!!! OVERTIME WINNER!!! 🤯🤯🤯@WHLGiants | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/p8MIs7SbX5

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 20, 2026

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN —9/8/11/6 = 34 | KEL – 8/11/7/1 = 27
PP: VAN—2/8 | KEL— 1/5
Face-Offs: VAN —33 | KEL — 34

3 STARS

1st: VAN – Tobias Tomik – Gordie Howe Hat-Trick (1G, 1A, 2 SOG, 1 Fight)
2nd: VAN – Oliver Bryks – 1st WHL Win (25 saves on 27 shots)
3rd: KEL – Ryan Oothoudt – 1G, 6 SOG, +1

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Oliver Bryks (WIN – 25 saves / 27 shots)
Kelowna: Harrison Boettiger (LOSS – 31 saves / 34 shots)

THEY SAID IT

“I think specialty teams was obviously big tonight. I thought our penalty kill was really good and obviously our power play was huge in evening the score and then finding a way to win, so that was a big, big part of the game tonight.” – HC/GM Michael Dyck

“The big takeaway from me is that we never quit. I think we dug in. It would have really easy to go away and we never went away.” – HC/GM Michael Dyck

UPCOMING

Next Saturday, the Giants travel to Victoria to take on the Royals and on Sunday they host the Prince George Cougars at 4 p.m. at LEC.