Rockets Head to Portland for Two Game Set with Winterhawks
Published on January 8, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets right wing Connor Pankratz
(Kelowna Rockets)
The Kelowna Rockets hit the road this weekend for an important Western Conference matchup, travelling south to face the Portland Winterhawks in a doubleheader series at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The two teams will meet Friday night at 7:00 pm PST and again Saturday at 6:00 pm PST, with both games available for free on Victory+ and 104.7 the Lizard.
ROCKETS HEADLINES
Kelowna (18-14-3-2) enters the weekend coming off a strong 5-2 home victory over the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday night, a game that marked the return of the Rockets' World Junior contingent and the debuts of several new faces. The Rockets jumped out to a four-goal first period and never looked back, building momentum as they head into a tough road environment.
The offense continues to be led by Shane Smith (20G, 26A), Carson Wetsch (13G, 28A), and newly acquired Ty Halaburda (20G, 20A), while Hiroki Gojsic and Tomas Poletin have provided additional scoring punch since returning from international duty. On the blue line, Mazden Leslie and Parker Alcos have stabilized the back end, with Alcos making an immediate impact in his Rockets debut earlier this week.
Friday's game marks the second meeting of the season between the two clubs. Kelowna earned a 2-1 win over Portland at Prospera Place back on November 22, and will look to carry that success onto the road.
PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Portland (20-17-2-0) sits just one spot ahead of Kelowna in the Western Conference standings, making this a pivotal weekend in the playoff race. The Winterhawks are coming off a 4-3 loss to Wenatchee but remain a dangerous team, particularly on special teams.
Offensively, Portland is led by Alex Weiermair (21G, 28A), Ryan Miller (17G, 28A), and Jordan Duguay (13G, 26A). The Winterhawks boast one of the more effective powerplays in the conference at 23.7%, while their penalty kill has been an area of inconsistency.
Portland has been strong at home this season, posting a 12-5-2-0 record at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Season Series:
Kelowna leads 1-0
Last 10 Games:
Kelowna: 4-5-0-1
Portland: 3-5-2-0
Special Teams:
Kelowna: PP 20.4% | PK 77.0%
Portland: PP 23.7% | PK 71.4%
INJURY & ABSENCE REPORT
Peyton Kettles - UBI (Indefinitely)
Gabriel Guilbault - UBI (Week-to-Week)
Hayden Paupanekis - LBI (Day-to-Day)
Daniel Pekar - LBI (Day-to-Day)
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Shane Smith - 5 games away from 250 career WHL games
Ty Halaburda - 4 goals away from 100 career WHL goals.
UP NEXT
The Rockets will return home after this matchup to face the Calgary Hitmen Friday night at 7:05pm. Tickets for that matchup are available at selectyourtickets.com.
Images from this story
 Kelowna Rockets celebrate a goal |
 Kelowna Rockets right wing Connor Pankratz |
Western Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2026
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- Rockets Head to Portland for Two Game Set with Winterhawks - Kelowna Rockets
- Blades Acquire Two Picks in Exchange for Sobry - Saskatoon Blades
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- Rockets Defeat Tri-City 5-2 - Kelowna Rockets
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