Photo credit: Rob Wilton

By Regan Bartel

Shots 51-18

Rockets roll over G-Men

Jan 31, 2026 | 10:36 PM

The Kelowna Rockets turned a long, exhausting travel day into one of their most complete performances of the season.

Powered by a six-point night from Tij Iginla and a dominant second period, the Rockets rolled past the Vancouver Giants 9–2 on Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre, earning their 25th win of the season and sending Vancouver to its sixth straight loss.

For Iginla, it was a night to remember.

The 19-year-old forward scored three times and added three assists, recording the fifth hat trick of his WHL career and his first on the road. He drove play every time he touched the puck, creating space, attacking off the rush and turning quality shifts into repeated scoring chances for Kelowna.

Dawson Gerwing added four points with two goals and two assists, while Tomas Poletin scored twice as the Rockets overwhelmed the Giants with pace, pressure and depth throughout the lineup.

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It did not start smoothly.

Vancouver opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a brief breakdown and jumping in front of its home crowd. But according to assistant coach Brandon McMillan, Kelowna’s response was immediate.

“After they scored first, I thought we settled into the game and really took over,” McMillan said. “Even in the first period, we started to get our game on track. Then we came out in the second and completely controlled the game.”

The second period changed everything.

Kelowna outshot Vancouver 22–4 in the middle frame and outscored the Giants 6–1, turning a competitive game into a runaway. The Rockets scored on their opening shift of the period and never allowed Vancouver to regain momentum.

McMillan said the pace and detail in Kelowna’s game was exactly what the coaching staff has been pushing for.

“We were skating, we were winning battles and we were hard on the forecheck,” he said. “That’s how we need to play.”

While Iginla’s six-point night stood out on the scoresheet, McMillan was just as quick to single out Gerwing.

“I thought that was probably the best game I’ve seen Dawson play,” McMillan said. “He was engaged, he was skating, he was winning battles and he was hard on the forecheck. The way he played last night in Prince George carried over into tonight, and that’s what we want to see from him.”

The offensive outburst gave Kelowna plenty of breathing room, but McMillan said the group was reminded between periods that nights like this can still slip away.

“You always think about having a big points night as a player,” he said. “But we talked about being a mature group. Earlier this week in Red Deer, we didn’t finish the game the way we wanted in the third period. Tonight, we wanted to make sure we handled the game the right way, and I thought we did a good job of that.”

The blowout also created space for a special moment in the crease.

Seventeen-year-old rookie goaltender Linden Sobocan made his first WHL start and earned his first league win, stopping 16 of 18 shots.

While the Giants managed just 18 shots on goal, McMillan said the circumstances made the performance even more impressive.

“I’m really proud of him,” McMillan said. “It was his first game, and because of everything that happened today, he didn’t have his normal game-day routine or preparation. But he came in, made some really good saves, and looked very steady in the net.”

Sobocan started while Harrison Boettiger was given the night off, and McMillan said the rookie handled the moment with maturity beyond his years.

“He stayed calm, he stayed focused, and he gave us exactly what we needed.”

The day itself had already tested the Rockets long before the opening faceoff.

On the drive to the Lower Mainland, the team bus broke down near Brenda Mine, forcing the club to wait roughly 90 minutes before an emergency bus arrived to complete the trip to Langley.

Despite the disruption, McMillan was not overly concerned.

“We’re an older group,” he said. “I thought maybe we wouldn’t have the greatest start because the guys didn’t have their normal preparation. But mentally, we just stressed being ready and staying focused. The legs came as the game went on, and you could see that halfway through the first period.”

The win moves Kelowna into fourth place in the Western Conference. The Rockets are tied with the Kamloops Blazers in points, but now hold two more wins than Kamloops, a meaningful edge as the playoff race tightens.

McMillan believes the progress is no coincidence.

“We’ve added a lot of pieces to our locker room, and it takes time,” he said. “You can see we’re starting to gel more every game and every practice. The guys are communicating better, and you’re starting to see chemistry develop. It’s been small steps each game, and it’s going in the right direction.”

Now, the Rockets finally get a chance to catch their breath.

Kelowna returns home for a day of rest and recovery before turning its attention to a key matchup with the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday.

“It’s good for our group,” McMillan said. “We get home, recover, and then focus on Portland. That’s a big game for us. The standings are tight, and it’s important that we keep winning and keep chasing the teams ahead of us.”