Kelowna Rockets Rout Vancouver Giants with 9 Goals

Rockets overcome bus trouble to dominate Giants in high-scoring affair

Feb. 1, 2026 at 12:55am

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The Kelowna Rockets overcame a broken-down bus to trounce the Vancouver Giants 9-2 in a Western Hockey League matchup. Tig Iginla led the Rockets with a career-high six points, including a hat trick, while Dawson Gerwing also had a career-best four points. The Rockets scored five unanswered goals in the second period to pull away for the lopsided victory.

Why it matters

The win moves the Rockets into a fourth-place tie in the Western Conference standings, just four points behind the third-place Prince George Cougars. This was an important divisional matchup as the Rockets look to secure a playoff spot down the stretch.

The details

Despite arriving late due to bus trouble, the Rockets found their stride in the second period, scoring five unanswered goals to build a 6-1 lead. Tig Iginla had a career night with three goals and three assists, while Dawson Gerwing also set a personal best with two goals and two assists. Tomas Poletin, Ty Halaburda, and Carson Wetsch also scored for the Rockets.

  • The game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. but was pushed up to 6:30 p.m. due to the Rockets' late arrival.
  • The Rockets scored five goals in the first 12:47 of the second period to break the game open.

The players

Tig Iginla

A forward for the Kelowna Rockets who had a career-high six points, including a hat trick, in the win.

Dawson Gerwing

A Kelowna Rockets forward who also set a career high with two goals and two assists in the game.

Linden Sobocan

The Rockets' rookie goaltender who made 16 saves to earn the win in his Western Hockey League debut.

Brett Olson

A Vancouver Giants forward who scored the team's first goal on the power play.

Joe Iginla

A Giants defenseman whose point shot was tipped in by Olson for Vancouver's opening goal.

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What they’re saying

“Not even a broken down bus could prevent the Kelowna Rockets from rolling to an easy victory over the Vancouver Giants Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre.”

— Wayne Moore, Author

What’s next

The Rockets will host the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday before traveling to face the Prince George Cougars in a key divisional matchup next Friday and Saturday.

The takeaway

The Kelowna Rockets showed their resilience by overcoming early bus troubles to deliver a dominant performance, further cementing their position in the Western Conference playoff race. The team's offensive firepower, led by standout nights from Tig Iginla and Dawson Gerwing, overwhelmed the Giants and demonstrated the Rockets' ability to win convincingly even when facing adversity.