ISight Optometry Game Recap: Rockets Down Winterhawks in Portland
The Kelowna Rockets earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, outshooting the home side 46–29 and getting timely goals and a strong defensive effort to secure the win.
The opening period was scoreless but physical, setting the tone for what became a tight, chippy matchup throughout the night. Portland broke the deadlock early in the second period, capitalizing to take a 1–0 lead.
Kelowna responded with urgency.
Tij Iginla (15) tied the game at 16:38 of the second period with a shorthanded goal, jumping on a feed from Ty Halaburda and finishing to bring the Rockets level. Just over two minutes later, Owen Folstrom (6) scored the eventual game-winner on the power play, burying a backhand in tight off a net-front scramble with assists from Vojtech Cihar and Mazden Leslie.
From there, the Rockets locked things down defensively, killing penalties and limiting Portland’s chances while continuing to generate pressure at the other end. Kelowna finished the night 1-for-4 on the power play and held Portland scoreless on four penalty-kill opportunities.
The Rockets outshot the Winterhawks 23–11 in the second period and controlled much of the play at five-on-five, earning their second win over Portland this season.
Additional Stats
- Shots on Goal: Kelowna 46 | Portland 29
- Power Play: Kelowna 1/4 | Portland 0/4
- Faceoffs: Portland 29 | Kelowna 27
Up Next
The two teams meet again Saturday night in Portland with puck drop set for 6:00 pm. Fans can watch the game live for free on Victory+ or listen on 104.7 The Lizard. The Rockets then return home to host the Calgary Hitmen on January 16 at 7:05 pm at Prospera Place.
