(Image Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

By Regan Bartel

Rockets score 15 goals in last two games

Winning big at home doesn’t get old

Feb 16, 2026 | 5:00 PM

On BC Family Day, the Kelowna Rockets gave the home crowd exactly what it came for — a fast start, plenty of offense and a convincing 7–2 win over the visiting Tri-City Americans on Monday.

The difference was decided early.

Kelowna exploded for four goals in the opening period, setting the tone for a matinee that never truly felt in doubt. The Rockets rolled four lines, received scoring from all over the lineup, and finished the afternoon with 12 different players finding the scoresheet in one of their most complete efforts of the season.

Leading the way were Vojtech Cihar and Tij Iginla, who each scored twice. For Iginla, the milestone mattered just as much as the margin of victory — his second goal of the afternoon was the 98th of his WHL career, pushing him closer to the 100-goal mark.

The win was Kelowna’s 29th of the season, and it moved the Rockets to within one point of the Prince George Cougars for third place in the Western Conference.

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More importantly, it reinforced a growing identity.

“We can’t really draw it up any better than that,” said Rockets assistant coach Brandon McMillan, reflecting on the opening period. “We’ve really stressed getting off to good starts, and the group has taken to it. We’re coming out with strong first periods, and it’s setting us up for the rest of the game.”

Kelowna wasted little time putting the Americans on their heels. The Rockets were aggressive on the forecheck, quick through the neutral zone and direct in attack, forcing turnovers and sustained offensive-zone time that quickly translated into goals.

Cihar was at the center of much of that pressure. The forward not only scored twice, but he also led all players with eight shots on goal, repeatedly challenging the Tri-City defence with his speed and willingness to drive the puck toward the middle of the ice.

“He’s just being more direct,” McMillan said. “When he first got here, he was playing well, but very safe. Now he’s getting more comfortable, seeing plays he wasn’t seeing before. That’s creating offence for his line and for himself.”

The early lead could have opened the door for a sloppy middle frame, something the Rockets have worked to clean up after recent games.

Instead, Kelowna delivered a far more mature second period.

“After our last game, we talked about being better in the second,” McMillan said. “We didn’t love that period the other night, even though we were up early. Today, I thought we did a better job. We were more responsible with the puck and stayed connected.”

While the first period belonged to the offence, the final 40 minutes belonged to structure.

Tri-City pushed in spurts, but any momentum was quickly muted by layers of defensive support and timely saves from goaltender Josh Banini, who made several stops during key sequences to prevent the game from tightening.

“He made a couple of big saves when we needed them,” McMillan said. “That’s huge for our group.”

By the third period, the message in the Kelowna dressing room had shifted.

“We were up, and we didn’t need to score again,” McMillan explained. “We needed to defend. We needed to learn how to close out games.”

The Rockets responded with one of their strongest defensive periods of the season. On several shifts, three players were already above the puck as Tri-City attempted to transition, forcing turnovers in the neutral zone and allowing Kelowna to immediately counterattack.

That commitment stood out to the coaching staff.

“We were above pucks, we were tracking back, and we created offence from our defence,” McMillan said. “That’s exactly how we want to play.”

The final moments of the game offered one last snapshot of that mindset. With under 30 seconds remaining in a 7–2 game, Cihar dropped into a shooting lane and blocked a shot, an unnecessary play on the scoreboard, but an essential one in the culture Kelowna is trying to reinforce.

“That’s a huge commitment,” McMillan said. “Not just from him, but from our whole group. We don’t want to give anything away.”

Beyond the headliners, the story of the afternoon was the balance throughout the lineup.

Every forward line played to its role. Kelowna’s checking group established pressure below the goal line. A heavier, physical line created puck recoveries through body position and board play. The top two lines controlled possession and generated sustained offensive-zone time.

“All four lines were going tonight,” McMillan said. “They all played to their identity, and our defence was solid behind them. When everyone does their job, that’s when we look like ourselves.”

For the fans who packed the building on Family Day, the result capped a weekend that featured back-to-back lopsided victories, following Saturday’s dominant showing as well.

For the Rockets, the bigger picture is starting to sharpen.

“You have to be happy with two wins,” McMillan said. “But now we go to the video and see what we can improve. We’ve got a big home-and-home coming up with Kamloops, and that’s a team behind us that we want to keep behind us.”