Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Rockets cap off Eastern Division swing

Final game before Christmas

Dec 19, 2025 | 10:29 AM

After 12 days, six games, and thousands of kilometres on the road, the Kelowna Rockets are set to play the final game of their Eastern Division swing tonight in Prince Albert, a chance to finish strong before heading home for the Christmas break. The team is 3-2-0-0 on the swing, which began with a win last Tuesday in Swift Current, followed by a loss in Brandon, a win in Regina, a loss in Moose Jaw, and a massive shootout victory in Saskatoon on Wednesday. The Rockets now have 16 wins on the season, just two shy of the 18 they had all of last year.

You can listen to the game this afternoon at 4:40 pm on 104-7 The LIZARD or stream it right here on RocketFAN.

“I look forward to this time of the year because you get to build relationships beyond just hockey,” said Rockets head coach Derrick Martin. “There’s a lot of time in hotels, around dinner tables, and on the bus. You get to see how guys handle challenges off the ice, and that’s just as important as what they do on it.”

Captain Carson Wetsch leads the Rockets on this road trip with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists), followed by forward Hayden Paupanekis with 7 points (3+4). Hiroki Gojsic has 6 points (1+5), as does overager Shane Smith (2+4), who scored the deciding goal in Wednesday’s shootout. On the blueline, Mazden Leslie also has 6 points (3+3), while defensive defender Rowan Guest has contributed 5 assists and added two fighting majors during the swing.

Martin says the team has been focusing on themselves during the trip.

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“We’ve spent a lot of time on video with our group, getting back to what we do well as a hockey team,” he said. “Some guys need to step up their effort and care, but I’ve got a lot of faith in the guys. They’ve shown in the past that they can do it, and I believe they will again.”

Younger players have had chances to show growth, too. Affiliated defenseman Dallon Antos has been improving every game.

“He’s become a steady hand, skating well, getting into the right spots, managing risk, and showing growth every night. That’s exactly what you want when bringing a player up,” Martin said.

On the offensive side, Kalder Varga has stood out.

“He’s finding his identity, responding to coaching, holding himself to a high standard, and getting rewarded for it. That kind of player pushes the whole team forward,” Martin said.

Even the fourth line has made an impact.

“Jaxson Kehrig is reliable, shift in and shift out. Connor Pankratz does the hard work, plays the back end, kills penalties. Eli Barrett is figuring out the league, getting more comfortable with the physicality, holding onto pucks longer, making plays. That’s a positive,” said Martin.

Back-to-back games have been a challenge, but the team has handled it well.

“We’ve managed the bench on the front end, which gives flexibility for the next game. The group is rested, and fatigue won’t be an excuse tonight,” Martin said.

Details remain key.

“Our start is critical. Being sharp on entries, spending less time in our own end, and playing in front of the goalie, all that gives us a really good chance,” Martin added.

After over 4,000 kilometres and nearly 60 hours on the bus, the Rockets are ready to finish this road trip strong. A win tonight would be the perfect way to cap it off before heading home for Christmas, giving the team a boost before returning to the ice December 27th against visiting Vancouver.