Rockets win on and off the ice

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

“The best way to defend those goals is to stay out of the box,” Laing said bluntly about a Portland power-play that is ranked second in the WHL only behind the Prince Albert Raiders. “They move it [the puck] really quick, and they have a few set plays. It is a lot of one-touch passes and they are not afraid to shoot the puck.” 

Rockets await start of Memorial Cup

Chances were there. Goals weren't

Apr 20, 2026

Enough talk. Time for action

As they say in Everett, 'Let's play hockey!

Apr 10, 2026

Rockets face road test in games 3 and 4

Goaltending, discipline and depth driving 2-0 series lead over Blazers

Mar 30, 2026

The Winterhawks outshot the Rockets 13-5 in the first period and 44-22 overall. That required 19-year-old goaltender Rhett Stoesser, making his first start with his team new, to make some big saves. 

“He was awesome,” Laing said about Stoesser’s play. “Look at the shot totals. I thought he really closed the door when we needed it. They had some in-tight late deflections and tips, and he was really quick to react.”  

Stoesser was familiar in playing against the Winterhawks in Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Back on November 15th, he was named the second star with a 40-save effort in a 2-1 shootout loss when he was a member of the visiting Red Deer Rebels.  

Rookie Kalder Varga was able to score his second goal of the season with a quick snap shot early in the third period to make it 4-2. Both of Varga’s goals this season have come on the road, with both in games against U.S Division based teams. 

“He has an excellent shot,” Laing said about the 16-year-old, who is getting limited ice time and is being swapped in and out of the lineup along with teammates Owen Folstrom and Kanjyu Gosjic. “We would love to see him use it more. It comes with being a 16-year-old in this league, getting the confidence to give up a pass to put it on net. He works on it after practice all the time, and you can see in drills his shot is advanced for his age.” 

What may be lost in the win was the emotion that came earlier in the day when the team was informed the organization had won the right to host the 2026 Memorial Cup. While it’s exciting for the young players, many of the older veterans can’t share in the same exuberance knowing they won’t be able to play in the high-profile event 18 months from now. 

“There was a lot going on today,” Laing admitted. “Maybe we saw that at the start of the game. We have older, mature guys that understand that you can only control what you can control. You have to show up and play no matter what happens off the ice. I think we have the guys that can focus and do that and are mentally tough enough to shove that aside and focus on the game. 

“I know it is a team in that locker room, and the older guys are going to be excited for the younger guy’s next year to have the opportunity to host it [Memorial Cup], so I know they are happy for the organization. I know that if I was around, had they announced it, as a 20-year-old I would have been astatic for the city, the franchise and my teammates,” Laing said.

Meanwhile, with Kris Mallette away at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, assistant coach Derrick Martin earned his first career WHL win. 

“We gave him a shoutout after the game,” Laing said. “I think Tim Webster [equipment manager] had two pucks to give both he and Rhett Stoesser after the game. 

“We were pretty happy for both of them.”