Winterhawks Come up Short Against Rockets on Pride Night
WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Come up Short Against Rockets on Pride Night

Published on January 9, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Kyle McDonough scored his fifth goal of the season in his first game back in the lineup, and Ondrej Štěbeták made 44 saves, but the Winterhawks came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Rockets on Pride Night.

Game #40: Portland (1) vs. Kelowna (2)

SOG: POR (29) - KEL (46)

PP: POR (0/4) - KEL (1/4)

Saves: Štěbeták (44) - Banini (27)

SCORING:

POR - Kyle McDonough (5) from Carsyn Dyck and Nathan Free

KEL - Tij Iginla (15) from Ty Halabura (shorthanded)

KEL - Owen Folstrom (6) and Vojtech Cihar and Mazden Leslie (power play)

GAME SUMMARY:

The Winterhawks and Rockets went toe to toe in the opening period of the weekend series, heading into the first intermission scoreless.

Portland broke the deadlock at 5:29 of the second period when Carsyn Dyck worked the puck down low with time and space before threading a pass through two Kelowna defencemen to Kyle McDonough driving the net, who finished the play to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. Kelowna answered on special teams, as Tij Iginla scored his 15th of the season on a shorthanded goal. With 45 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Owen Follstrom struck on the power play to send the Rockets into the final period with a 2-1 advantage.

Portland pressed in the third, firing 11 shots on goal, but Rockets netminder Ondrej Štěbeták stood tall, turning aside 44 shots on the night as Kelowna held on for a narrow 2-1 victory.

UP NEXT:

The Portland Winterhawks welcome the Kelowna Rockets for the second game of the weekend doubleheader at the Glass Palace on Saturday at 6:00 p.m., continuing the 50 Years of Hawkey celebration. The night features the unveiling of numbers 30-21 of the Top 50 Winterhawks of All Time, presented by KOIN.

Reminder, you can watch all Portland Winterhawks games on Victory+ for free all season long! Click here to visit the Winterhawks hub or download the Victory+ app on your smartphone or connected device.

The Portland Winterhawks are commemorating 50 Years of Hawkey this season with a year-long tribute to the team's rich history and legendary players. As part of the celebration, the Top 50 Winterhawks of All Time will be unveiled throughout the season-starting with an alphabetical reveal on October 25, and culminating in the announcement of the Top 10 on March 7, 2026. Fans can look forward to special events, tributes, and a season full of memories honoring five decades of Winterhawks hockey.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2026


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