Rockets Host Thunderbirds in Midweek Matchup
WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Host Thunderbirds in Midweek Matchup

Published on February 24, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets goaltender Josh Banini
Kelowna Rockets goaltender Josh Banini
(Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets are looking to extend their win streak to five games when they take on the Seattle Thunderbirds Wednesday night at 7:05pm PST. Tickets for the game are available at selectyourtickets.com. The Rockets have won the last two matchups against the Thunderbirds.

KELOWNA ROCKETS

The Kelowna Rockets enter this matchup against the Seattle Thunderbirds riding plenty of momentum. Kelowna is coming off a big weekend sweep of the rival Kamloops Blazers and has now won four straight games, allowing two goals or fewer in each of those contests.

Tij Iginla (35G, 31A), the 2024 NHL sixth-overall pick, leads Kelowna's offensive attack. Iginla has recorded four straight multi-goal games and remains one of the league's most dangerous scorers. Ty Halaburda (26G, 34A) has picked up points in five of his last six games, while Carson Wetsch (18G, 41A) continues to be a key contributor offensively. Shane Smith (27G, 32A) and Tomas Poletin (19G, 12A) remain out with upper-body injuries. Czech rookie Vojtech Cihar (6G, 12A) has been a strong addition, providing valuable secondary scoring and depth throughout the lineup.

On the back end, Mazden Leslie (14G, 39A) has points in nine of his last ten games and sits tied for seventh in scoring among WHL defensemen. Parker Alcos (5G, 20A) has brought stability and offensive upside to the blue line since arriving in Kelowna. He is joined by Keith McInnis (7G, 23A), Nate Corbet (2G, 8A), and Rowan Guest (0G, 20A), rounding out a dependable and physical defensive group.

In goal, Harrison Boettiger (3.15 GAA, .901 SV%) has handled the bulk of the workload this season. Josh Banini (3.29 GAA, .894 SV%) has won each of his last three starts. The Rockets' goaltending has been especially sharp of late, allowing just two goals in each of the last four games.

Special teams could play a key role in this matchup. Kelowna's powerplay, which currently stands at 23.15%, performed admirably, scoring twice against Kamloops on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the penalty kill operates at 78.7% and has gone four straight games without surrendering a powerplay goal.

WHERE THEY RANK

Kelowna Rockets: 4th in the Western Conference (31-18-5-2)

Seattle Thunderbirds: 10th in the Western Conference (23-25-4-3)

SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS

The Seattle Thunderbirds enter this matchup sitting just three points back of the Victoria Royals for the final Western Conference playoff spot. Seattle is coming off a challenging weekend that saw them drop two of three games, including a 4-3 loss Sunday to the Portland Winterhawks. Road play has been a significant hurdle this season, as the Thunderbirds hold a 7-17-1-2 record away from accesso ShoWare Center.

Offensively, Seattle is driven by Cameron Schmidt (40G, 43A), whom they acquired at the deadline. His 40 goals lead the WHL, while his 83 points rank second league-wide. Schmidt is the engine of the Thunderbirds' attack, with much of the team's offense running through him, highlighted by a 34-point gap between him and the club's second-leading scorer.

Antonio Martorana (22G, 27A) ranks second on the team in both goals and points. 2026 draft-eligible Noah Kosick (13G, 34A) and rookie Brock England (20G, 25A) add to a young and developing forward group that continues to progress.

On the back end, 2025 NHL Draft ninth-overall pick Radim Mrtka (1G, 25A) headlines the defensive unit. The Buffalo Sabres prospect uses his size and skill to make an impact at both ends of the ice. Tai Riley (2G, 13A), Ashton Cumby (3G, 10A), and rookie Grayson Tash (1G, 9A) round out the Thunderbirds' blue line.

In goal, rookie Marek Sklenicka (3.65 GAA, .890 SV%) and Grayson Malinoski (3.55 GAA, .894 SV%) have split the workload for Seattle this season.

Seattle's power play has struggled, operating at 17.14%, the second worst in the league, and dropping to 14.44% on the road. Their penalty kill has been more reliable, ranking in the league's upper half at 76.25%.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Last 10 games

Kelowna: 7-2-1-0

Seattle Thunderbirds 5-3-1-1

Special teams

Kelowna: PP 23.15% | PK 78.7%

Seattle Thunderbirds: PP 17.14% | PK 76.25%

WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:

Rockets Rookie Vojtech Cihar was named the Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week last week. Cihar had three goals and two assists for five points in three games this past week, earning him the Rookie of the Week honours for the first time this season.

POWER RANKINGS:

Kelowna currently sits seventh in the week twenty-one power rankings

Seattle currently sits twelfth in the week twenty-one 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.

ROCKETS OLYMPIC RECAP:

Rockets Alumnus and 2015 WHL Champion Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers represented Team Germany for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Draisaitl played for the Rockets from 2014-2015. Draisaitl recorded two goals and five assists in five games in the tournament.

Rockets Alumnus and 2015 WHL Champion Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets is representing Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Morrissey played for the Rockets from 2014-2015. Morrissey has zero goals and zero assists in one game. Morrissey suffered an undisclosed injury in Canada's first game on February 12th. Morrissey and Team Canada came away with a silver medal after losing in overtime to the USA in the Gold Medal Game.

Rockets Alumnus Calvin Thurkauf of HC Lugano of the National League represented Team Switzerland for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Thurkauf played for the Rockets from 2015-2017. Thurkauf recorded zero goals and zero assists in five games in the tournament.

HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON:

The Rockets are 31-18-5-2, including a 13-7-4-2 record at the Prospera Place. On the road this year, the Rockets have an 18-11-1-0 record.

The Thunderbirds are 23-25-4-3, including a 16-8-3-1 record at home. On the road this year, the Americans have a 7-17-1-2 record.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

#11 Tij Iginla - 1 assist from 100 career assists

#16 Carson Wetsch - 1 assist from 100 career assists

#25 Jaxon Kehrig - 5 games away from 100 career games

ROCKETS INJURY REPORT:

#7 Peyton Kettles - UBI (Indefinitely)

#9 Shane Smith - UBI (Day-to-Day)

#10 Tomas Poletin - UBI (Week-to-Week)

#25 Jaxon Kehrig - UBI (Day-to-Day)

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

The Kelowna Rockets are set for a home-and-home series against the Wenatchee Wild this weekend. The series opens Friday, February 27th, at 7:05 PM PST at Prospera Place. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com. The Rockets will then travel south to Toyota Town Center for the rematch on Saturday at 6:00 PM PST. Fans can catch the game live for free on Victory+ or at 104.7 The Lizard.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla scores
Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla scores
 Kelowna Rockets goaltender Josh Banini
Kelowna Rockets goaltender Josh Banini
  



Western Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central