(Image Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

By Regan Bartel

Playoff spot clinched with loser point

Giants stun Rockets

Mar 6, 2026 | 10:10 PM

The Kelowna Rockets saw a seven-game home-ice winning streak come to an abrupt end Friday night, dropping a 4–3 overtime decision to the Vancouver Giants at Prospera Place.

For a team battling near the top of the Western Conference standings, the loss to the conference’s last-place club stung. It also highlighted an ongoing issue for Kelowna this season — finishing games in overtime.

The defeat marked the Rockets’ sixth overtime loss of the campaign, leaving them with just one victory in extra time.

Despite the disappointing result, Kelowna managed to salvage a single point thanks in part to strong performances from Tij Iginla and Vojtech Cihar. Both players recorded a goal and an assist in the loss as the Rockets repeatedly battled back throughout the night.

Still, the effort left associate coach Don Hay visibly frustrated afterward.

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“We just weren’t good enough tonight,” Hay said. “At times we looked sleepy. We didn’t win enough face-offs, we didn’t win enough scrums, and we didn’t have the level of intensity you need to win games.”

The Rockets appeared to be in control early. Kelowna opened the scoring in the first period and looked poised to extend their strong play on home ice.

Instead, the game settled into a back-and-forth battle that allowed Vancouver to hang around.

The Giants pushed the pace in the middle frame and began to tilt the momentum their way. Kelowna responded with timely goals to keep the game even, but Hay felt the overall battle level favoured the visitors.

“For most of the night it was pretty even,” Hay said. “But when you look at the key battles and situations, they probably won more of them than we did.”

The Rockets did manage to claw their way back each time Vancouver grabbed momentum, eventually forcing overtime. But the extra session once again proved costly for Kelowna.

It’s been a frustrating theme this season. The Rockets have frequently earned the chance to win in overtime but have struggled to close the deal.

Friday’s defeat was another example.

Hay pointed to several areas where his club fell short, particularly in their puck management and overall pace.

“I didn’t think we shot the puck enough,” he said. “We didn’t create enough rebounds, and we were too casual with the puck. When you turn it over, you end up defending for 15 or 20 seconds instead of playing offense. That wears you down.”

Kelowna also struggled to generate sustained pressure with its forecheck — something that has been a key component of the team’s identity during its recent stretch of success.

“We didn’t have many shifts where we really controlled the pace with our forecheck,” Hay said. “Maybe one line would have a good shift, then the next line wouldn’t do much. You have to stack shifts together if you want to control the game.”

The loss also continued a troubling mini-trend for the Rockets. Kelowna’s last three defeats have come against teams well below them in the standings.

“You look at our last three losses — Wenatchee, Wenatchee, and Vancouver,” Hay said. “That can’t happen. We have to be better prepared and we have to compete at a higher level.”

While Vancouver entered the night sitting in the conference basement, Hay noted the Giants are beginning to look like a more confident group after getting several players back in the lineup.

“They’re starting to feel better about themselves,” he said. “But regardless of who you’re playing, you have to bring the right level of effort.”

The defeat also had implications in the tightly packed Western Conference standings. Earlier in the evening, the Prince George Cougars picked up a win over the Spokane Chiefs, allowing them to leapfrog the Rockets and move into third place.

Kelowna now finds itself in fourth, adding further urgency as the regular season winds down.

The Rockets won’t have long to dwell on the loss.

They return to action Saturday night when the Victoria Royals visit Prospera Place. Victoria is battling to hold onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference, meaning another desperate opponent awaits.

Hay expects the Royals to arrive motivated.

“Victoria is fighting for a playoff spot, so they’re going to come in hungry,” he said. “We have to be the team that comes out and dictates the game.”

For the Rockets, the message after Friday’s loss was clear.

If they want to maintain their position near the top of the conference and sharpen their game for the playoffs, their intensity will need to rise quickly.

“You look at the schedule and think these are winnable games,” Hay said. “But you still have to play them. And you have to play hard every night.”