(Image Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

By Regan Bartel

Memorial Cup hosts meet Tips again

Rockets meet top-seeded Silvertips in round two

Apr 5, 2026 | 9:47 PM

Sixteen years later, the matchup returns, and so does the opportunity.

For the first time since 2010, the Kelowna Rockets and the Everett Silvertips will meet in the WHL playoffs, setting up a second-round series filled with familiarity, history, and momentum on both sides.

Round two opens this weekend in Everett, where the Silvertips finished the regular season on top with 57 wins and 117 points. They were one of the highest-scoring teams in the league with 304 goals and carried that form into the playoffs with a four-game sweep of Portland.

But Kelowna comes in just as confident.

The Rockets also swept their opening round series, knocking off Kamloops in four straight games while showing depth and offensive balance. It’s a group that found another level when the playoffs began, and one that continues to build.

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The regular season meetings leaned Everett’s way, with the Silvertips winning all four games. But two of those were tight 3-2 contests, showing that Kelowna is right there. The difference now is timing, and the Rockets are playing their best hockey of the season.

Special teams could be a turning point. Kelowna’s power play went 2-for-20 against Everett during the regular season, but the playoffs bring a fresh start and an opportunity to make that a strength.

There are also encouraging signs offensively.

Tij Iginla enters round two in strong form after tying for the team lead in scoring in round one alongside Vojtech Cihar, with both players recording 10 points in the sweep of Kamloops. As that top-end production continues, it gives Kelowna the ability to match up against any team.

Everett will bring depth, with eight players reaching the 50-point mark this season, and strong individual performances, including Carter Bear, a first-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, who had success in the season series.

But the playoffs aren’t played on paper.

They’re decided by momentum, execution, and belief, and the Rockets have all three right now.

There’s also a sense of history around this series.

The last time the Kelowna Rockets hosted the Memorial Cup in 2004, their path to the final went through the Everett Silvertips in the Western Conference Final. Now, in 2026, with Kelowna set to host again, Everett stands in their way once more.

Another opportunity. Another moment.

Games one and two are Friday and Saturday in Everett, before the series shifts back to Kelowna for games three and four next Tuesday and Wednesday.

The other Western Conference semifinal features the Penticton Vees and the Prince George Cougars.

For Kelowna, this isn’t just about facing the top team in the league. It’s about a group that’s found its game at the right time. It’s about a chance to take the next step.

Sixteen years later, it’s not about what was, it’s about what’s next.