Rockets Fall, 5-0, to Vees
Published on January 24, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets' Vojtech Cihar versus Penticton Vees' Charlie Michaud
(Kelowna Rockets)
The Kelowna Rockets were blanked 5-0 by the Penticton Vees on Friday night at Prospera Place, as special teams and timely scoring powered the visitors to their 13th straight win.
GAME SUMMARY
Penalties proved to be the story of the night for the Kelowna Rockets, as time spent shorthanded disrupted any rhythm and allowed Penticton to build momentum in a 5-0 loss on Saturday at Prospera Place.
Penticton took the lead early in the first period when Jacob Kvasnicka (25) scored, beating goaltender Harrison Boettiger after a defensive zone turnover by the Rockets. Despite a strong response from Kelowna later in the frame, the Rockets were unable to find an equalizer before the intermission.
The Vees extended their lead in the second period, striking on the power play at 11:57 when Brady Birnie (16) finished off a passing play set up by Kvasnicka and Nolan Stevenson. Penticton added another man-advantage goal late in the period, as Ethan Weber (9) wired a point shot through traffic at 19:12 to make it 3-0 after forty minutes.
Early in the third period, Kelowna attempted to gain momentum, but Penticton maintained their defensive edge and increased their lead at 8:16 when Brooks DeMars (5) scored off a rush. The Vees capped off the scoring just over two minutes later with another powerplay goal, as Nolan Stevenson (7) converted at 10:34.
Ethan McCallum was sharp in goal for Penticton, stopping all 26 shots he faced to earn the shutout. Boettiger made 21 saves in net for Kelowna before Nathan Kam entered in relief midway through the third period and stopped all four shots he faced. Despite the final score, the Rockets continued to battle and finished the night with 26 shots on goal.
Penticton's special teams proved to be the difference, as they scored three times on the powerplay and held Kelowna scoreless with the man advantage.
ADDITIONAL STATS
Shots on Goal: Kelowna 26 | Penticton 30
Power Play: Kelowna 0/3 | Penticton 3/6
Faceoffs: Kelowna 27 | Penticton 43
UP NEXT
The Rockets look to bounce back as they continue their homestand Tuesday, January 27th, against the Red Deer Rebels for the first and only time this season at 7:05pm PST. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com.
Images from this story
 Kelowna Rockets' Vojtech Cihar versus Penticton Vees' Charlie Michaud |
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