Cardinal Sport Weekend Preview: Rockets host Prince George before heading to Vancouver for Two BC Division Matchups.
The Kelowna Rockets close out their three-game homestand Friday, as they take on the Prince George Cougars at home for the second time this month. The game is set for 7:05 pm PST at the Prospera Place, with tickets available at selectyourtickets.com. They will then hit the road and head to Vancouver to face the Giants at 7:00 pm PST. That game is available for free on Victory+ and 104.7 the Lizard.
KELOWNA ROCKETS
Kelowna enters the weekend riding the momentum of a 5–3 win over the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday, a game highlighted by Vojtech Cihar’s four-point breakout performance. The victory was an important response after a disappointing 5–0 loss to the Penticton Vees on Saturday, January 24. The Rockets will look to carry that momentum into Friday night’s matchup against Prince George, a key game in the Western Conference standings.
The forward group has continued to drive the offence, while the blue line has begun to come together at both ends of the ice. Kelowna has leaned into its depth throughout the lineup, blending veteran leadership with emerging skill, and is starting to look like a team building toward something bigger as the season progresses.
A veteran core leads the Rockets offensively, consistently producing results. Shane Smith (24G, 29A) leads the team in scoring but will miss the weekend with an upper-body injury. In his absence, Ty Halaburda (22G, 24A), Carson Wetsch (16G, 33A), and Tij Iginla (20G, 20A) will be counted on to shoulder the offensive load. Czech forwards Tomas Poletin (16G, 12A) and Vojtech Cihar (1G, 8A) have been welcomed additions, adding a scoring touch and strong two-way play throughout the lineup. Hiroki Gojsic has also been trending upward, recording points in five of his last six games.
On the back end, Mazden Leslie (10G, 31A) leads all Rockets defencemen in scoring and sits ninth among WHL defencemen in points. Parker Alcos (4G, 14A), acquired from the Edmonton Oil Kings, has provided stability since arriving in Kelowna while also contributing offensively. He’s joined by veteran Keith McInnis (6G, 19A), brought in from Red Deer, along with Nate Corbet (2G, 3A) and Rowan Guest (0G, 17A), rounding out a dependable defensive group.
In goal, Harrison Boettiger (3.11 GAA, .903 SV%) remains a steady presence. His 15 wins lead the Rockets’ goaltenders, and his recent play continues to reinforce his status as one of the top goaltenders available for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Boettiger will be a key factor in both matchups this weekend.
Special teams could play a major role. The Rockets’ power play went 2-for-3 against Red Deer and will need to continue producing against a strong Prince George team. Discipline is also vital, as recent games have shown a need to avoid the penalty box.
WHERE THEY RANK
- Kelowna Rockets: 5th in the Western Conference (23-16-4-2)
- Prince George Cougars: 3rd in the Western Conference (28-16-2-0)
- Vancouver Giants: 11th in the Western Conference (18-27-1-2)
Prince George Cougars
Prince George has been up and down of late, but they come into Kelowna on a hot streak. After dropping seven straight games, the Cougars have responded with five consecutive wins and are looking to stay near the top of a tightly packed Western Conference race.
Offensively, Prince George is powered by a veteran trio up front in Kooper Gizowski (23G, 28A), Terik Parascak (20G, 31A), and Brock Souch (16G, 34A), who have accounted for much of the team’s scoring this season. Rookie import Dmitri Yakutsenak has also made a strong impact, ranking among the WHL’s top rookie scorers with 18 goals and 19 assists. Overall, the Cougars boast impressive depth, with seven players already in double digits in goals.
On the back end, the defence is headlined by Carson Carels (12G, 28A), a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Carels has significantly contributed against Kelowna, scoring the overtime winner in each of the teams’ last two meetings. He’s supported by Arsenii Anisimov (5G, 27A) and overager Bauer Dumanski (7G, 18A), forming a reliable and well-rounded defensive core.
In goal, Joshua Ravensbergen, a 2025 first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks, handles the bulk of the workload. Ravensbergen ranks among the WHL’s elite, posting a 19-9-0-0 record along with a 2.67 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
Special teams are a major strength for Prince George. The Cougars own the WHL’s top-ranked power play at 31.9% and complement it with a strong penalty kill that sits seventh in the league at 80%
Prince George last played on Saturday, January 24th, against the Vancouver Giants, winning the game 5-2.
Vancouver Giants
The Giants have had a tough season and currently sit 11th in the Western Conference with 39 points. That said, they’ve been much more competitive on home ice, posting a 12-10-1-0 record at the Langley Events Centre. Kelowna has had the upper hand in the season series, winning both meetings so far, including a 6–4 victory on December 27.
Offensively, Vancouver is led by projected first-round pick Mathis Preston, who was acquired earlier this month from the Spokane Chiefs. Preston has recorded 15 goals and 20 assists this season. He’s supported up front by Jakov Oreskovic (10G, 18A), Misha Volotvskii (12G, 15A), and Brett Olson (8G, 24A), giving the Giants several capable scoring threats.
On the back end, the Giants lean heavily on Ryan Lin (11G, 39A), another projected first-round pick. The dynamic right-shot defenceman leads the team in scoring and provides much of their offence from the blue line. Saturday will also mark the first time Will Sharpe faces his former club. Sharpe spent parts of two seasons with the Rockets, appearing in 62 games and totaling nine goals and 23 assists. Overall, Vancouver’s defensive core is young and continues to grow, but inconsistency has been an issue at times.
In goal, the Giants have struggled to find stability. Both Burke Hood and Kelton Pyne have posted goals-against averages north of 3.80, with save percentages below .894 on the season.
Special teams have also been a challenge for Vancouver. Their penalty kill sits in the bottom five of the league at 70.8%, while their power play ranks in the lower half at 22%. Discipline will be crucial against a Kelowna power play that has shown clear signs of improvement over the past month.
Vancouver last played Saturday January 24th against the Prince George Cougars which saw them lose 5-2
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Head-to-Head Season Series
Kelowna vs. Prince George – Prince George Leads 2-1
- Game 1: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (at Prince George) — Kelowna won 5–4
- Game 2: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 (Vs Prince George) — Prince George won 4–3
- Game 3: Saturday January 17, 2026 (vs Prince George) — Prince George won 3-2 OT
Kelowna vs. Vancouver – Kelowna Leads Series 2–0
- Game 1: Saturday, November 1, 2025 (at Vancouver ) — Kelowna won 5–2
- Game 2: Saturday, December 27, 2025 (vs. Vancouver ) — Kelowna won 6–4
Last 10 games
Kelowna: 6-3-1-1
Prince George: 5-5-0-0
Vancouver: 2-7-0-1
Special teams
Kelowna: PP 23.87% | PK 78.66%
Prince George: PP 31.8% | PK 80.%
Vancouver: PP 22.01% | PK 70.83%
YOUTH MOVEMENT:
Tomas Poletin leads the Rockets rookies with 28 points in 31 games. The Rockets also recently welcomed rookie Vojtech Cihar (1G, 8A), who is coming off a four-point night Tuesday against the Red Deer Rebels. Rookie 2026 Draft Eligible, Eli Barrett scored his first career WHL goal last game against the Red Deer Rebels
POWER RANKINGS:
Kelowna currently sits eleventh in the week eighteen power rankings
Prince George currently sits sixth in the week eighteen power rankings
Vancouver currents sits outside the top sixteen in the week eighteen power rankings
2026 NHL DRAFT:
Kelowna currently has two Rockets on the Midterm Rankings of the NHL Central Scouting list as Players to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. Goaltenders Harrison Boettiger and Frantisek Poletin were originally ranked as “B”-level prospects in the preliminary rankings, which list them as potential second or third-round picks. This time around, Boettinger was listed as the seventh-best North American goaltender, while Poletin is listed as the fifth-best International goaltender.
OLYMPIC INVITE:
Rockets Alumnus and 2015 WHL Champion Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers will be representing Team Germany for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Draisaitl played for the Rockets from 2014-2015.
Rockets Alumnus and 2015 WHL Champion Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets will be representing Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Morrissey played for the Rockets from 2014-2015.
Rockets Alumnus Calvin Thurkauf of HC Lugano of the National League will be representing Team Switzerland for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Thurkauf played for the Rockets from 2015-2017.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON:
The Rockets are 23-16-4-2, including an 8-7-3-2 record at the Prospera Place. On the road this year, the Rockets have a 15-9-1-0 record.
The Cougars are 28-16-2-0, including a 14-10-0-0 record at home. On the road this year, the Cougars have a 14-6-2-0 record.
The Giants have a record of 18-27-1-2, which includes a 12-10-1-0 record at home. On the road this year the Giants are 6-17-0-2
WHL REGULAR SEASON MILESTONES:
Ty Halaburda – 2 goals away from 100 career WHL goals.
ROCKETS INJURY REPORT:
#7 Peyton Kettles – UBI (Indefinitely)
#9 Shane Smith – UBI (Day-to-Day)
#35 Josh Banini – UBI (Week-to-Week)
#11 Tij Iginla – UBI (Day-to-Day)
GETTING THE CALL:
The Kelowna Rockets are calling up Goaltender Linden Sobocan from the Okanagan Hockey Academy U18 Prep Team. Sobocan has appeared in eleven games this year, posting a 4-4-3 record with a 2.86 goals against average and a 0.922 save percentage. The Rockets originally drafted Sobocan in the third round, 60th overall, in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
The Rockets return home on Tuesday, February 3rd, to host the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 pm PST. Tickets for the matchup are available at selectyourtickets.com. Following the home date, Kelowna will hit the road and head north to Prince George for a weekend set against the Cougars. Both games will be available to watch on Victory+ and can be heard live on 104.7 The Lizard.
