Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Showing fire on Teddy Bear Toss night

Rockets bounce back with emotional win

Nov 23, 2025 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets didn’t just bounce back on Saturday night – they swung back. Less than 24 hours after a flat 6-3 loss to the Everett Silvertips, the Rockets delivered one of their most emotional games of the season, grinding out a 2–1 win over the Portland Winterhawks at Prospera Place in a night that had goals, fights, momentum swings, and a building that felt alive again.

From the opening shift, the tone was completely different. Kelowna was harder on pucks, more physical, and far more connected than the night before.

Associate coach Don Hay felt it right away.

“It kind of felt like a playoff game,” Hay said. “These two teams don’t like one another… we didn’t have a lot of passion last night, we had it tonight.”

The Rockets pulled the crowd of over 51 hundred into it early when Tomas Poletin opened the scoring and sent thousands of teddy bears flying onto the ice. It was a clean shot off his stick, and for Poletin it came with a special moment. With his parents visiting, he scooped up a teddy bear and carried it to the corner for a photo. It was the only calm part of a first period that turned into something straight out of the 1980s.

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Scrums developed into fights. Hits carried extra weight. And players who rarely get involved in that side of the game suddenly found themselves right in it. Tij Iginla played angry and Hayden Paupanekis jumped in. Daniel Pekar dropped the gloves. Even Poletin had a fight earlier in the night. It was raw and emotional, the exact opposite of Friday’s outing.

Hay wasn’t bothered by the chaos.

“I’d rather see guys stand up for each other and for themselves than not,” he said. “It was really important… that could really bring us closer together.”

All the penalties meant Kelowna had to manage long stretches with a shorthanded blue line. When Nate Corbet was hit with 14 minutes in penalties, the Rockets were down to four defensemen for a good chunk of the game. That made goaltender Harrison Boettiger’s night even bigger.

The 18-year-old was sharp from start to finish, controlling rebounds, tracking pucks through screens, and stealing one late that kept the Rockets in front.

“We killed penalties well and Boettiger was outstanding in the 3rd period,” Hay said. “We just couldn’t get that 3rd goal… Portland’s a team that just hangs around, hangs around, and then they strike.”

The turning point was a huge save late in the third, a moment that felt like the difference between two points and disappointment.

“The one save (against Alex Weiermair) Boettiger made in the 3rd was a game saver,” Hay added.

This time, Kelowna didn’t crack. Just a week ago in Everett, the Rockets carried a two-goal lead into the third period and couldn’t hold it. Saturday’s finish was exactly the type of response coaches want to see.

“I thought we defended well,” Hay said. “Last week we weren’t able to hold on to that lead in Everett. Tonight we were.”

The game also came with a milestone for veteran defender Mazden Leslie, who skated in his 300th WHL game, becoming the first Rocket since Tyson Baillie in 2016 to reach that mark.

“He’s had a good career and it was nice that Bruce [Hamilton] honored him tonight with the 300 games,” Hay said. “I thought played very well tonight.”

Kelowna now heads into a three-game U.S. swing against Spokane, Tri-City, and Spokane again. The Rockets should start getting healthier, too. Defenseman Owen Hayden is expected back while Gabriel Guilbault continues to skate. With players returning, Kelowna could finally have six defensemen available again.

But more important than the lineup is the identity the Rockets showed in this win, a team that can play tight games, protect leads, and push back when things get heated.

“Friday night was a detour,” Hay said. “We got back on track tonight. Hopefully we can stay on track.”