Clamping down
Rockets prove defense wins
The playoffs often come down to one simple truth: the team that defends best usually lasts the longest.On Friday night, the Kelowna Rockets showed they are ready to embrace that reality.In a tight, low-event Game 1, the Rockets leaned on structure, discipline, and patience to earn a 3-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers. I...
Mar 28, 2026
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From blindsided to battle-tested
The player who kept moving, until Kelowna became home
He has worn three jerseys in 287 career games in the Western Hockey League. Three cities. Three rooms. Three versions of the same player trying to find something that finally sticks.And now, with the WHL playoffs here, Shane Smith is no longer moving.He's driving.Smith's career doesn't read like a straight line. It rea...
Mar 27, 2026
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RocketFAN
WHL Draft Lottery
Rockets own 1st overall pick
The Kelowna Rockets are heading into the WHL Prospects Draft with a rare piece of franchise history, the first overall pick. At Thursday night's WHL lottery in Calgary, Kelowna officially secured the top selection for the May 6th and 7th draft. It's just the second time the organization has picked first overall since r...
Mar 27, 2026
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Calm in the crease
No way around It: Harrison Boettiger faces playoff pressure head-on
Harrison Boettiger has never been one to dodge pucks. As a goaltender, that comes with the job. So when the question turned to pressure ahead of Game 1, he didn't dodge that either.For Boettiger, the moment is here. The WHL playoffs open Friday night on home ice against the Kamloops Blazers."Yeah, I think there's ...
Mar 26, 2026
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1st round NHL draft pick named MVP
Twice the charm for Tij Iginla
Move over, Jason Deleurme. You have company.Tij Iginla is now a two-time MVP of the Kelowna Rockets, joining Jason Deleurme as the only players in franchise history to win the award twice.At a table nearby sat Jarome Iginla. Close enough to see it all. Not as a Hall of Famer in that moment, but as a father.And a few st...
Mar 25, 2026
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