Played on Oct 18, 2025
Game Played in Prospera Place
General Game Notes: The hometown Kelowna Rockets jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but could not hold on against the WHL’s number one team the Everett Silvertips, and lost 3-2. Julius Miettinen led the way with a goal and assist for the Tips with Rhys Jamieson scoring the winner early in third. Daniel Pekar and Will Sharpe each had a goal and assist for the Rockets. Recently acquired Anders Miller was very good in the net making 35 stops for Everett.
Landon DuPont (D, R, 5’11”, 187, Everett Silvertips, 05/28/2009)
Game Rating
A-
Dupont showcases an impressive array of skills that enable him to excel on the ice. His agility and puck-handling abilities allow him to navigate through tight spaces with ease, making it difficult for opponents to gain possession. He demonstrates exceptional vision, often making precise passes that lead to scoring opportunities. On the power play, Dupont excels as a quarterback, effectively walking the blue line and making quick decisions to pass or shoot. His ability to read the ice and anticipate plays is evident in his breakouts, where he consistently makes smart decisions to maintain possession and create scoring chances. While Dupont’s size may be an area for improvement, his compete level and technique more than make up for it. He displays impressive mobility, quickness, and escapability on puck retrievals, allowing him to stay ahead of opponents in the neutral zone. His hockey IQ is equally strong, enabling him to read passes and pick them off with ease.
1 Viewing
Comments: Dupont is a polished, highly versatile right-shot defenseman who excels in all facets of the game: an outstanding skater with top-end speed and elite mobility, he closes gaps quickly and moves the puck with poise. He routinely makes hard and flat, accurate first passes out of the zone and consistently finds stretch options thanks to excellent vision and hockey IQ, threading passes into seams that are seemingly not there. On the offensive blue line he’s smooth and decisive, getting across quickly and firing heavy shots through traffic; defensively he’s definitely added strength as he is harder to dislodge in puck battles, pushes back with authority, effective in scrums, and uses a heavy stick to clear lanes and win stick battles. A dependable workhorse who logged over 27 minutes in this game, Dupont is a key contributor on both the top power play and penalty kill.
Carter Bear (LW, L, 6’0″, 181, Everett Silvertips, 11/04/2006)
Game Rating
A-
Carter Bear is a well-rounded two-way forward with a strong skill set. He possesses excellent skating ability, which allows him to effectively evade defenders and maintain possession of the puck. His puck skills are also notable, enabling him to make plays in tight situations. Bear’s vision is impressive, as demonstrated by his ability to execute a precise cross-ice pass. He is also effective at winning board battles and making smart decisions on the ice, whether distributing the puck or challenging defenders. On defense, he plays a relentless game, consistently pursuing the puck and finishing checks with authority. While Bear’s overall skill set is impressive, it’s worth noting that his playmaking ability can sometimes be overshadowed by his forward thinking. However, his willingness to drive into danger zones and take shots on goal showcases his confidence and work ethic.
1 Viewing
Comments: Bear is an explosive, highly skilled forward whose elite skating — exceptional quickness and outstanding edge work — allows him to evade defenders and dart into openings with ease. He pairs that mobility with excellent puck-handling, very quick hands and a rapid release, making him dangerous on individual rushes, in tight battles where he can roll off opponents, and especially on plays around the net. He’s physical and competitive in front of the net — greedy for loose pucks and willing to push back hard in net-front battles — which, combined with his knack for freeing his stick and snapping off quick plays, makes him a major threat on the top power play and a dependable contributor on the penalty kill. Not surprisingly, given his work ethic, he back pressures hard and is very reliable in the defensive zone.
Mirco Dufour (C, L, 5’7″, 174, Everett Silvertips, 01/06/2009)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Dufour (2009) — 5’7′, 175 lb, left center — is a compact, powerful skater who plays with a physical edge and consistently competes hard in board battles and scrums, using his lower-body strength to win pucks and push back opponents. He shows excellent top-end speed, consistently working hard the full 200 feet, and displays very good defensive-zone awareness for his age — getting below the puck when teammates are battling for pucks on the boards, and directing traffic for his younger linemates. Offensively he attacks the net without hesitation and uses his speed to create chances. On the faceoff dot he is quite effective with his very low technique resulting in a 60% success rate. With continued development of strength, playmaking touch, he projects as a high-effort two-way center who impacts both ends of the ice.
Jaxsin Vaughan (C, R, 6’1″, 207, Everett Silvertips, 01/10/2006)
Game Rating
B+
Vaughn is a physically imposing player who makes an impact on the ice with his size, skating ability, and work ethic. He uses his speed to navigate the ice effectively, allowing him to quickly get in position to apply pressure on opponents. Vaughn plays with a strong physical edge, delivering hits without hesitation and showing a willingness to engage in confrontations. His understanding of his role within the team is solid, and he complements his linemates well through his puck-handling skills. Vaughn’s combination of grit and skill makes him a valuable asset for any team.
1 Viewing
Comments: Vaughan is a sturdy 6’1′, 205-lb right wing with good top-end speed and excellent pursuit instincts — he consistently uses his speed to get in on the forecheck hard and finish physically. He plays a heavy, role-focused game with notable grit and determination, excelling along the boards and showing a relentless willingness to go to the net and battle in front of the crease. Vaughan brings dependable physicality and pushback in scrums, defends teammates without hesitation, and isn’t afraid to mix it up when needed, as he did in this game with one of Kelowna’s tougher players. He logged nearly 15 minutes in this outing, contributes on the second power-play unit, and can handle penalty-killing duties. Projecting as a versatile middle-six winger who impacts the game through energy, compete level, and dependable defensive work.
Julius Miettinen (C, L, 6’3″, 217, Everett Silvertips, 01/20/2006)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Miettinen, a 6’3′ left-shot centre and Seattle draft pick, is an excellent skater with strong edges and a heavy, hard-nosed game; he logged nearly 20 minutes (third on the team) and was a clear difference-maker. Tonight he was dominant on the penalty kill at both ends — pressing with sound angles, an active, reliable stick, and relentless down-ice pressure that repeatedly disrupted Kelowna’s power-play breakouts and won contested wall battles, often succeeding in 1v2/1v3 scenarios. He also provides great value on the second power-play unit and showed playmaking vision, delivering a textbook cross-ice feed on the SilverTips’ third goal. Overall he projects as a two-way pivot who can drive special teams and handle heavy minutes.
Jesse Heslop (LW, L, 5’11”, 178, Everett Silvertips, 04/18/2006)
Game Rating
B+
This player possesses a well-rounded skill set, which enables him to make impactful plays on the ice. They exhibit strong hockey instincts and demonstrate tenacity in puck battles, winning a significant portion of their battles during key moments in games. Their ability to effectively contribute on both power-play and penalty-killing units suggests versatility. Defensively, they show reliability by frequently using their stick to disrupt shooting lanes and protect the puck. In tight spaces, this player’s maneuverability and quick hands allow them to be persistent and effective in pursuing pucks. They handle the puck well, making shifty plays that exploit defensive vulnerabilities. While not the largest player, they use their speed and agility to outmaneuver opponents and create scoring opportunities.
1 Viewing
Comments: Heslop (5’11’, 2006, undrafted) is a high-energy winger whose game is built on speed, persistence and playmaking rather than size or polished skating; he’s not the smoothest skater on the ice but makes up for it with very good top-end speed, work ethic, a knack for timely plays and a dangerous presence around the net. He consistently logs heavy minutes — leading his forwards with just over 21 minutes on this night — and is a key contributor on both the top power play (plays the flank and serves as the late man on entries) and the top penalty kill. Heslop’s quickness and vision allow him to drive the attack, make plays off the half-wall, and unleash a quick, accurate release; defensively he’s relentless on the forecheck, wins battles with tenacity, and isn’t afraid to push back or engage in scrums to help teammates. Overall, he’s a disruptive, do-everything winger who impacts the game at both ends through speed, compete and offensive instincts.
Matias Vanhanen (RW, L, 5’11”, 174, Everett Silvertips, 09/11/2007)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Vanhanen (2007), a 5’11’ left wing, is a smaller, explosive skater with excellent, quick hands and a high hockey IQ; he consistently finds open teammates with his vision and becomes a real threat with the puck. In this game he logged 17 minutes of ice time, was on the second power play and the penalty killing units, and used his speed to pressure the puck on the forecheck, where he can be persistent and disruptive. He competes hard along the walls, can win puck battles against bigger opponents, is willing to block shots on the PK, and shows the compete and two-way instincts that project well moving up the lineup.
Brek Liske (D, R, 6’1″, 192, Everett Silvertips, 01/09/2008)
Game Rating
B
Liske possesses a well-rounded skill set that makes him a strong player at his position. His excellent speed and agility enable him to control the puck with ease, often using them to make sharp cuts around defenders. With a high IQ, he consistently makes smart decisions on the ice, whether it’s carrying the puck into the zone or passing to a teammate. He demonstrates poise in net front battles, using his stick-handling skills to create scoring opportunities. Liske also excels at retrievals, shielding the puck from opponents and making precise passes to set up teammates for successful plays. His maturity on the ice is impressive, particularly considering his age.
1 Viewing
Comments: Liske (2008, draft eligible) is a 6’1′, 190 lb right-shot defenseman who also can play the left side seamlessly — a versatile, steady two-way blueliner. He shows above-average stride and backward mobility, strong puck skills and good vision that make him an effective outlet passer and man-advantage option (regularly deployed at the top as puck distributor of the second power play unit). Dependable in his own end, Liske competes hard on the walls (winning over 60% of battles this season), plays physically in front of his net, and is a reliable penalty killer. He logged over 23 minutes in this game (third on the team), projecting as a dependable, high-minute defender who is very steady, but not flashy.
Jaxon Pisani (D, L, 6’0″, 173, Everett Silvertips, 03/30/2009, Providence)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Pisani (2009) is a left-shot defenseman, listed at 6’0′, 172 lbs, who displayed an efficient smooth stride, with very good mobility. He displays very good puck skills and reliable puck management, routinely making smart, subtle plays — particularly in the defensive zone — that help his team exit under pressure. His vision and playmaking instincts are evident when given time and space, and in limited ice time (just under nine minutes) his five-on-five game was generally composed, steady and positionally sound. He likes to stay up tight in the Neutral Zone. With that, at times early on he struggled with decisions on whether to contain or attack defending the neutral zone. With continued development and greater usage, Pisani projects as a reliable, mobile two-way defender who can move the puck and make plays under pressure.
Connor Pankratz (RW, R, 5’10”, 174, Kelowna Rockets, 01/12/2006)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Pankratz, a 5’10’, 175 lb right winger, logged nearly nine minutes in this game and served as a valuable contributor on the team’s top penalty kill; he plays with strong work ethic, is a good skater with some quickness and adequate puck skills. He is a very aware, reliable defensive presence in his own end. He competes in support of the structural game but needs to improve his puck-battle success to impact play more consistently; his offensive ceiling appears limited, yet he shows a willingness to drive the net and can collect rebound- and battle-style goals if he plays with more sustained intensity.
Carson Wetsch (RW, R, 6’1″, 201, Kelowna Rockets, 05/04/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Wetsch (6’2′, 200 lbs; 2006, San Jose draftee) is a heavy, dependable two-way winger who skates well and brings a physical edge — a consistently aggressive forechecker who willingly goes to the net and creates traffic; in this game he logged nearly 28 minutes and served as a key piece on the Rockets’ top power play while also chipping in on the penalty kill. He offers a multifaceted threat: can activate on the attack, compete around the crease, and wear down opponents with his board work, giving coaches a predictable, hard-nosed presence. Finishing his offensive opportunities continue to be an issue for this skilled player. His compete level is clear, but his battle success (36% in this game, 44% on the season) suggests room for improvement in technique and leverage to turn those contests into more consistent possessions and puck recoveries.
Daniel Pekar (C, L, 6’1″, 187, Kelowna Rockets, 04/15/2006)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Pekar (2006), a 6’1′, 190 lb left wing, is a strong, powerful skater with an explosive stride and very good top-end speed that he uses to pressure the puck on the forecheck, although he does not consistently finish physically. He shows good hands and puck skill — highlighted by a five-hole finish on the Rockets’ first goal — and can be a threat around the net when he commits. In this game, he logged just over 15 minutes of ice time, nine of which was on the top power-play unit. Areas for development: he needs to finish checks more physically, drive to the high-traffic areas and get inside more often, and consistently engage on both ends to turn his clear athletic tools into reliable, game-changing play. With added compete-level and more consistent decision-making in tight spaces, he projects as a power-wing with upside at higher levels.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images