Photo credit: Brian Johnson

By Regan Bartel

Blazers exploit Rockets missing pieces

Rockets watch tight race slip away in Kamloops

Jan 4, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The Rockets were stretched thin. Real thin.

Three players away at the World Juniors. Three defensemen are sidelined with injuries. Hayden Paupanekis was unable to play in Saturday’s rematch, and goaltender Josh Banini, who had been named the starter Friday night, fell ill and couldn’t dress. The Memorial Cup hosts were patching holes, leaning on youth, and still walking into the Sandman Centre just two points back of the Kamloops Blazers.

The Blazers knew it. They knew Kelowna wouldn’t look the same after the trade deadline. They knew this was their chance to grab four valuable points. And by the time the third period ended, they had done exactly that.

By the end of Saturday night, the Rockets were four points off the pace after a 4-1 loss.

Hiroki Gojsic tied the score in the first period for his 13th goal of the season, but it was one of few glorious offensive chances the team would get on this night.

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Then the third hit.

19 seconds. That’s all it took. Off the opening faceoff, Kamloops scored on the power play. It was quickly 3-1 and the Blazers took over the game.

“They scored early on the power play off the rush, and then they got a second one fairly quick after that,” associate coach Don Hay said. “We just didn’t have a lot of pushback. To me, that’s disappointing for our group.”

The Rockets tried to respond. But mistakes piled up.

“That second goal, the third of the game, we just left a guy open in the slot in a very dangerous position,” Hay said. “They were able to find him and capitalize.”

The Blazers added a fourth on an odd-man rush later in the period. Kelowna’s push for offense had backfired.

“One of our young defensemen got caught and gave up the two-on-one. They were able to capitalize on their chances,” Hay said.

By that point, the Rockets had managed just five shots on goal in the third. In a one-goal game that turned into a chase, it wasn’t enough.

“We just couldn’t muster any offense in the third period,” Hay said. “They capitalized on their chances, and we didn’t generate enough.”

“We’re making mistakes, and we’re giving up too much from the offensive end into the defensive end,” Hay said. “We’re not having a really good responsible F3, and they’re finding ways to create offense off that.”

The Blazers’ top line is among the most dangerous in the league, all three players with 20-plus goals. Even their second unit created problems.

“They’re a dangerous group to handle,” Hay said. “But we also didn’t really generate much offense ourselves. I can’t think of anybody who was able to generate a lot, especially in the third period.”

Frustration bubbled over late, with some extra pushing and shoving as the clock wound down. Hay saw it for what it was.

“That’s just frustration built into the game. There might be things being said on the ice that guys don’t take a liking to. We weren’t going to go quietly, but I don’t think there was really a lot to it.”

Now comes the response.

The Rockets return home Wednesday to face the Tri-City Americans, one night before the WHL trade deadline. A tricky spot on the calendar, full of nerves, excitement, and uncertainty.

“At this stage of the season, we have to start winning some games,” Hay said. “We fell behind Kamloops here, and we’ve got to get back into that group of teams that are in the playoffs.”

Help could be coming. Hay hinted a couple of players may return to the lineup, which would matter for a team that has been patching holes and leaning heavily on young players.

“Hopefully we’ll have a couple of guys in the lineup to help us,” he said. “But we really have to focus on playing well. Tri-City played well against us down there, so now it’s our turn to play well against them.”

The Americans will be riding a seven game winning streak.