Rockets Come out Swinging in Home Win over Giants
WHL Vancouver Giants

Rockets Come out Swinging in Home Win over Giants

Published on February 15, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Vancouver Giants battle the Kelowna Rockets
Vancouver Giants battle the Kelowna Rockets
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor )

KELOWNA, B.C. - The Kelowna Rockets struck five times in the first period en route to an 8-2 win over the Vancouver Giants on Saturday night at Prospera Place.

The Giants fell behind early, surrendering four Rockets goals in the first 7:18 of the game and then another late in the first. Vancouver got on the board early in the second to make it 5-1 and eventually 6-2, but the damage had been done. Kelowna scored twice early in the third to make it an 8-2 final score.

Vancouver falls to 20-31-1-2 (43 points), while the Memorial Cup host Rockets improve to 28-18-5-2 (63 points), currently sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference.

Leonardo Domenichelli and Jaxson Pawlenchuk each scored for the Giants.

Owen Folmstrom, Mazden Leslie and Tij Iginla each had a pair of goals for Kelowna. Carson Wetsch and Vojtech Cihar had the other Rockets' tallies.

GAME SUMMARY

Folstrom opened the scoring off a rebound in front of the net at the 2:39 mark of the first, which was quickly followed by a goal from Iginla 38 seconds later when he split the Giants defencemen and went in on a breakaway.

Just over two minutes later, Leslie made it 3-0 for the Rockets off a deflection.

Folstrom scored on a deflection of his own less than two minutes later, before Leslie also tallied his second of the period to make the score 5-0 for Kelowna after one period.

Domenichelli got the Giants on the board with a breakaway goal early in the second period, giving him six goals on the season - three of which have come against Kelowna.

The Giants would get a power play opportunity soon after that goal, but were unable to capitalize.

Westch scored his 18th of the season to make it 6-1 Rockets halfway through the second period.

Pawlenchuk notched his first goal as a Giant with less than 90 seconds left in the second period after some good forechecking pressure from Brett Olson.

The Rockets got early third period goals from Iginla and Cihar to make the final score 8-2.

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN - 4/19/9 = 32 | KEL - 20/12/9= 41

PP: VAN - 0/5 | KEL - 1/5

Face-Offs: VAN - 27 | KEL - 39

3 STARS

1st: KEL - Owen Folstrom - 2G, 2 SOG, +2

2nd: KEL - Tij Iginla - 2G, 2A, 5 SOG, +3

3rd: KEL - Mazden Leslie - 2G, 5 SOG, +4

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: LOSS - Kelton Pyne (33 saves / 41 shots)

Kelowna: WINN - Josh Banini (30 saves / 32 shots)

UPCOMING

The Giants are back home on Monday against former Giant Cameron Schmidt and the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Date Opponent Location Time

Monday, February 16 Seattle Langley Events Centre 2:00 PM

Friday, February 20 Spokane Numerica Veterans Arena 7:05 PM

Saturday, February 21 Portland Langley Events Centre 7:00 PM

Stream all Giants games for free on Victory+.

The Giants next home game is on Monday, February 16 against Seattle! Grab your seats at VancouverGiants.com/tickets.

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics

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Images from this story

Vancouver Giants battle the Kelowna Rockets
Vancouver Giants battle the Kelowna Rockets
(Steve Dunsmoor )		   



Western Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2026


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