Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Four-goal third the key in victory

Rockets stay hot with 6-2 win

Nov 6, 2025 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets jumped out to another fast start Wednesday night, scoring in the opening minute and then again just 10 seconds into the third period on their way to a convincing 6-2 win over the Penticton Vees at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

For assistant coach Brandon McMillan, it was the kind of start the Rockets have been emphasizing since the early weeks of the season.

“We’ve just been preaching it,” McMillan said postgame. “It’s something we didn’t do well at the start of the year. I think we’re doing a really good job now, starting on time, and it’s showing. We’re getting that early goal and learning how to play with a lead.”

The Rockets got exactly that when Tij Iginla scored just 59 seconds after the opening face-off. Carson Wetsch added a goal 10 seconds into the third, which stood as the game-winner, as Kelowna improved to 6-5-1-1 on the season.

Penticton outshot Kelowna 14-5 in the opening frame but briefly lost their edge late in the period.

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“After we got up 2-0, we kind of sat back,” McMillan said. “They started to play a little more, started to skate on us. We talked about that after the first, but we didn’t really address it well in the second. They came out strong and we were on our heels for a bit. But again, another good start for our group.”

The Rockets found another gear in the third, breaking open a 2-2 tie with four straight goals including tallies from Dawson Gerwing, Kayden Longley, and Tomas Poletin. Poletin has 9 goals this season, with five coming against the Vees.

“We were hounding pucks,” said McMillan about arguably the teams best third period of the season. “We were playing fast, not allowing them space. That’s the brand of hockey we want to play as the Kelowna Rockets, fast, aggressive, and hard to play against.”

McMillan credited the team’s discipline and composure down the stretch.

“The group was really good on the bench,” he said. “Even when we were up two or three, they were reminding each other to play the right way. That’s so important for us. We don’t need to take chances we don’t have to. We just kept going, kept skating, kept hounding pucks, and it created a lot of offense.”

The Rockets also played with a physical edge, not reckless but controlled.

“We don’t want to be running around looking for big hits,” McMillan explained. “We want to play that brand where we’re stick on puck and through the body, taking away time and space. Whether it’s a big hit or just getting in the guy’s way, it goes a long way.”

The victory extends Kelowna’s point streak to four straight games following a 5-2 win in Vancouver Saturday night.

“We’ve got to take the good things we’re doing right now and build on them,” McMillan said. “I still don’t think we’ve played a full sixty-minute game yet, but we saw glimpses of it tonight, especially in that third period.

“Now we’ve got to take that into the weekend.”

The Rockets continue their road trip Friday night in Victoria against the Royals.