Rockets Set for Home-and-Home Battle with Blazers
Published on January 1, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets centre Shane Smith gathers the puck
(Kelowna Rockets)
The Kelowna Rockets are set for a rivalry-filled weekend as they square off against the Kamloops Blazers in a home-and-home series to open the new year. The matchup begins Friday night at Prospera Place before shifting to the Sandman Centre in Kamloops on Saturday, January 3rd.
ROCKETS HEADLINES
Kelowna (17-13-3-1) looks to start January and the new year on a strong note after closing out December with a busy holiday stretch. Sitting firmly in the Western Conference playoff race, the Rockets know points within the Interior Division are critical, especially against a familiar rival like Kamloops.
Offensively, the Rockets continue to be led by Shane Smith (20G, 23A), who sits among the team leaders in scoring. Carson Wetsch (13G, 26A) and Hiroki Gojsic (11G, 18A) have provided consistent production through the lineup, while Mazden Leslie (8G, 18A) anchors the blue line and quarterbacks the powerplay.
Special teams will be a major storyline this weekend. Kelowna's power play sits just above 21% on the season, while the penalty kill has hovered in the high-70% range. Execution in those moments could be the difference in a tight two-game set.
Friday marks the first meeting of the season between the Rockets and Blazers. Kamloops held the edge in last year's season series, but Kelowna has historically been strong against the Blazers on home ice.
KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
The Blazers (16-13-3-4) enter the weekend coming off a 5-3 win over Prince George and remain one of the WHL's more dangerous offensive teams. Kamloops ranks near the top of the league in goals scored and features one of the most productive forward groups in the conference. Leading the way is JP Hurlbert (25G, 35A), supported by Nathan Behm (20G, 31A) and Tommy Lafreniere (24G, 21A). Kamloops' powerplay has been a major weapon, operating at nearly 27%, among the league's best.
While offense has driven much of their success, defensive consistency has been a challenge, setting the stage for high-event hockey in both games this weekend.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Last 10 Games
Kelowna: 5-5-0-0
Kamloops: 4-3-1-2
Special Teams
Kelowna: PP 21.2% | PK 77.2%
Kamloops: PP 27.0% | PK 72.9%
INJURY & ABSENCE REPORT
Tij Iginla - World Junior Championship (Team Canada)
Tomas Poletin - World Junior Championship (Team Czechia)
Vojtech Cihar - World Junior Championship (Team Czechia)
Peyton Kettles - UBI (Indefinitely)
Gabriel Guilbault - UBI (Week-to-Week)
Nate Corbet - LBI (Week-to-Week)
UP NEXT
Following the home-and-home against Kamloops, the Rockets return to Prospera Place to host the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday, January 7th at 7:05 pm. Tickets for Friday night's game are available now at selectyourtickets.com.
Images from this story
 Kelowna Rockets centre Hayden Paupanekis (left) |
 Kelowna Rockets defencemen Jacob Henderson (far) and Will Sharpe |
 Kelowna Rockets centre Shane Smith gathers the puck |
Western Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2026
- Vees Battle Back for OT Victory over Cougars - Penticton Vees
- Rockets Set for Home-and-Home Battle with Blazers - Kelowna Rockets
- Zemlak's Two Goals Leads Oil Kings over Rebels - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Wheat Kings Stymied by Hot Goaltender in Loss to Blades - Brandon Wheat Kings
- T-Birds Fall in Wenatchee - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Game Preview: Cougars at Vees - Prince George Cougars
- Game Preview: Vees vs Cougars - Penticton Vees
- Oil Kings Kick off 2026 with Matchup against Rebels - Edmonton Oil Kings
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