Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Rockets eye four game winning streak

Confidence climbing

Oct 10, 2025 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets are starting to look like a confident hockey club, and head coach Derek Martin likes what he’s seeing.

Kelowna pulled off its most dramatic win of the season Wednesday night in Prince George, beating the defending B.C. Division champion Cougars 5-4 on Tomas Poletin’s goal with seven seconds left. The Rockets erased a 4-2 deficit with two goals 35 seconds apart, both coming with the extra attacker. The only sour spot in the win was the power play going 0 for 8.

Goaltending duties have also settled early in the season. Nineteen-year-old Josh Banini has started all four games since being acquired from Moose Jaw, while 17-year-old Harrison Boettinger, picked up in the Caden Price trade with Lethbridge, served as backup in Prince George and is expected to make his WHL debut this weekend.

“He’s got a little fire in his belly and a little bit of swagger,” Martin said of Banini. “He’s held us in some games already and given us an opportunity to find our footing. Off the ice, he’s fit in pretty seamlessly. He’s a great personality to have around the dressing room.”

Wednesday’s win also featured an impressive debut for new captain Carson Wetsch, who returned from the San Jose Sharks camp and made an immediate impact. The 19-year-old picked up three assists and was named the game’s first star, including a key faceoff win that set up Poletin’s game-winner.

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“He’s a really low-maintenance player,” Martin said. “He doesn’t ask a lot, doesn’t expect a lot, and gives everything he’s got. He’s an alpha male. People know when he’s in the room, and he demands attention. We certainly missed him when he was up with San Jose. He knows what it takes to lead on a good team.”

Martin believes that leadership — from Wetsch and others — is helping shape the Rockets’ identity early.

“You’re going to have leaders one way or another anyway, but you want people that are going to create followers and follow in the right footsteps,” he said. “This group walks the right way every day and says the right things.”

That includes defenseman Nate Corbet, whom Martin describes as the heartbeat of the team.

“He’s the first guy to the rink every single day and the last person to leave,” Martin said. “He’s always searching for ways to get better. He’s not high maintenance. He does what’s asked of him and tries to do more. He pulled that group in a positive way during difficult times last year, and now we’re hoping he’ll continue to pull them in a positive way during more positive times.”

The Rockets will look to extend their three-game winning streak tonight at Prospera Place when they host the Seattle Thunderbirds — the team that originally drafted Tij Iginla. The 19-year-old returns to the lineup after attending the NHL training camp of the Utah Mammoth, who selected him in the first round.

“He’s as close to being an NHL player without being an NHL player just yet,” Martin said. “He’s a special human being, special player, works really hard, competitive by nature, and very coachable. I’m really excited to have a healthy Tij Iginla back in the lineup, and the sooner we do that, the better.”

While there was concern that a 10-day break before the Prince George trip might create rust, it didn’t show much in Wednesday’s comeback win.

“Ten days away from games, but a lot of practice time,” Martin said. “We were able to play an intersquad game and do some team building. The practices have been hard, but the guys are certainly ready to park the practice whistle and play some games for real.”

The Rockets handed the Cougars their first regulation loss of the season, the kind of game that too often slipped away a year ago.

“They play hard, they go to the hard areas, they play quick in transition,” Martin said of Prince George. “They’re a deeper team with some age, and I think we are too. It presents a really good test for our group, and I’m looking forward to seeing our guys rise to the occasion.”

Kelowna visits the expansion Penticton Vees on Saturday to wrap up three games in four nights.

The longest winning streak the Rockets managed last season was four games. With Iginla back and Banini steady, they’re positioned to match it, and perhaps set a new tone early in the season.