Rockets Play Division Rival Blazers Twice in Battle of B.C.
WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Play Division Rival Blazers Twice in Battle of B.C.

Published on February 19, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets centre Tij Iginla
Kelowna Rockets centre Tij Iginla
(Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets and the Kamloops Blazers face off twice this weekend in a pivotal Western Conference matchup with just four points separating the teams in the standings. The Rockets travel to Kamloops on Friday for a 7:00 p.m. PST game, which will be available for free on Victory+ and 104.7 The Lizard. The teams meet again Saturday at Prospera Place in Kelowna, with puck drop at 6:05 p.m. PST for Superhero Night. Tickets for that game are available at selectyourtickets.com.

KELOWNA ROCKETS

Kelowna enters the weekend on a roll after two big wins over the Vancouver Giants and Tri-City Americans, outscoring the two teams 8-2 and 7-2, respectively. The Rockets are looking to widen their four-point lead over the Kamloops Blazers in the standings and climb closer to the top of the Western Conference.

Tij Iginla (31G, 30A) leads the Rockets up front. The Utah Mammoth draft pick has recorded 20 points in his last eight games, and his 1.79 points-per-game rate is the highest in the WHL. Iginla and veteran forward Shane Smith (27G, 34A) share the team scoring lead. Captain Carson Wetsch (18G, 41A) and Ty Halaburda (25G, 32A) have also been key veteran contributors, providing consistent offense all season. Czech forward Tomas Poletin (19G, 12A) has been a strong addition as well but will miss the weekend with an upper-body injury. Fellow Czech Vojtech Cihar (5G, 10A) has made an impact since joining the team in early January and is currently riding a five-game point streak with four goals in his last four games.

On defense, Mazden Leslie (13G, 36A) leads all Rockets blueliners in scoring and ranks 11th among WHL defensemen overall. Leslie is also tied for second in the league with 22 power-play assists. Parker Alcos (5G, 20A) has been excellent since arriving from the Edmonton Oil Kings, posting 11 points in 18 games. His +42 rating ranks eighth in the league. Keith McInnis (7G, 23A) has provided consistent play at both ends of the ice since his arrival from the Red Deer Rebels. Looking further down the lineup, Nate Corbet (2G, 8A) and Rowan Guest (0G, 19A) add physicality and help establish a strong defensive presence for the Rockets.

In goal, Harrison Boettiger (3.19 GAA, .899 SV%) remains a steady presence. His 18 wins lead all Rockets goaltenders. Josh Banini (3.35 GAA, .894 SV%) has also been dependable, allowing only a total of four goals on 63 shots over his last three games played.

Special teams will be an area of focus for Kelowna. The Rockets' powerplay sits in the middle of the pack at 22.75% but has scored in three straight games. Their penalty kill ranks among the league's top ten at 78.3%.

WHERE THEY RANK

Kelowna Rockets: 4th in the Western Conference (29-18-5-2)

Kamloops Blazers: 5th in the Western Conference (25-19-6-5)

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Kamloops enters the weekend looking to rebound after a tough stretch, going 4-4-1-1 in their last ten games while also dropping their last three. The Blazers most recently fell 4-2 to the Victoria Royals on Monday and are looking to close the gap on Kelowna in the Western Conference standings.

Offensively, the Blazers are led by WHL points leader JP Hurlbert (36G, 48A). The rookie and potential top-ten pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is also tied for second in the league in goals. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nathan Behm (31G, 44A) is among the WHL's top scorers as well. Edmonton Oilers draft pick Tommy Lafreniere (32G, 31A), along with veterans Josh Evaschesen (28G, 32A) and Jordan Keller (23G, 23A), round out Kamloops' high-end offensive group.

On the back end, Pittsburgh Penguins second-round pick Harrison Brunicke has been impressive since making his season debut in January, tallying 15 points in just 11 games. Overage defenseman Ryan Michael (3G, 26A) leads the Blazers' blueline in scoring, while Isa Guram (7G, 21A) has also had a strong season. Rookie defenseman Joaquin Geras (1G, 10A) provides steady support to round out the defensive unit.

In goal, Logan Edmonstone has carried most of the load, appearing in 39 games with a 3.26 GAA and a .901 save percentage. Rookie Ivans Kufterins (3.95 GAA, .887 SV%) has provided dependable relief when called upon.

Special teams continue to be a factor for Kamloops. Their powerplay ranks sixth in the WHL at 27.96%, powered by Hurlbert's elite skill and creativity. Their penalty kill, however, has struggled, sitting ninth-worst in the league at 75.6%.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Head-to-Head Season Series

Kelowna vs. Kamloops - Kamloops Leads 2-0

Game 1: Friday, January 2nd, 2026 (at Kamloops) - Kamloops won 3-2 SO

Game 2: Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 (vs Kamloops) - Kamloops won 4-1

Last 10 games

Kelowna: 7-2-1-0

Kamloops: 4-4-1-1

Special teams

Kelowna: PP 22.75% | PK 78.32%

Kamloops: PP 27.96% | PK 75.6.%

POWER RANKINGS:

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

Kamloops currently sits eleventh in the week twenty-one power rankings

WHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME:

Rockets goaltender and 2026 NHL Draft prospect Harrison Boettiger was selected to participate in the 2026 WHL Prospects Game, held Wednesday night at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C. Rockets Head coach Derrick Martin also represented the club, serving as an assistant coach for Team East. Martin came away victorious as Team East won 5-4 in overtime.

OLYMPIC INVITE:

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 and Team Canada will play in the Semi-Final on the morning of February 20th at 7:40am PST. Morrissey has zero goals and zero assists in three games. Morrissey suffered an undisclosed injury in Canada's first game on February 12th. His status for the Semi-Final game versus Finland is currently questionable.

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 27-17-5-2, including a 12-7-4-2 record at the Prospera Place. On the road this year, the Rockets have a 17-11-1-0 record.

The Blazers are 25-19-6-5, including a 13-6-6-1 record at home. On the road this year, the Blazers have a 12-13-0-4 record.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

#18 Dawson Gerwing - 1 game away from 150 career games played

#11 Tij Iginla - 4 points away from 200 career points

INJURY REPORT:

#7 Peyton Kettles - UBI (Indefinitely)

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

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

The Rockets remain at Prospera Place next week for another two home games, with the first of the two on Wednesday, February 25 against the Seattle Thunderbirds at 7:05 p.m. PST. Kelowna will then host Wenatchee on Friday, February 27, with puck drop also set for 7:05 p.m. PST. Tickets for both games are available at selectyourtickets.com.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics

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Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets centre Jaxon Kehrig
Kelowna Rockets centre Jaxon Kehrig
 Kelowna Rockets gather following a goal
Kelowna Rockets gather following a goal
 Kelowna Rockets centre Tij Iginla
Kelowna Rockets centre Tij Iginla



Western Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2026


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