Played on Jan 24, 2026
Game Played in Prospera Place
General Game Notes: Jacob Kvasnicka scored his 25th goal of the season just five minutes into the game, a goal which proved to be the game winner, as the visiting Penticton Vees downed the Kelowna Rockets 5-0. Nolan Stevenson, Brady Birnie, Ethan Weber, and Brooks Demars rounded out the scoring for the Vees. Goaltender Ethan McCallum got the shut out making 26 saves.
Parker Alcos (D, R, 6’3″, 181, Kelowna Rockets, 07/20/2006)
Game Rating
B+
Alcos’s skillset is characterized by his reliable 200-foot game, where he defends physically and with excellent positioning. He consistently takes away space in the neutral zone and shuts down chances along the walls in the defensive zone with physicality. He showcases impressive skating and mobility, featuring confident first steps and range to join or lead breakouts. Alcos demonstrates a willingness to carry pucks out of the zone and jump into the play as an extra attacker. Offensively, he is active at the blue line, displaying a good release for goals. Strong on-ice vision and pre-scan awareness also enable him to make subtle plays.
1 Viewing
Comments: Alcos (6’3′, right shot) is a mobile, two-way defenseman with a complete skill set – his very good skating and acceleration let him quickly get back and evade pressure and transport the puck up ice, which he likes to do; combined with his very good puck skills allows him to effectively be the late man on the power-play breakout and make clean, effective passes. Comfortable handling the puck, he moves it with purpose and reads the play well, which, combined with his work ethic, earned him heavy usage (about 22 minutes, second among defensemen) and first-man duty on the penalty kill. Projects as a reliable top-four option who can contribute heavily on both special teams and eat tough minutes; continued refinement of physical play and gap consistency would elevate him into a clear top-pairing candidate.
Tomas Poletin (RW, L, 6’1″, 206, Kelowna Rockets, 04/30/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Tomas Poletin is a skilled forward with a strong work ethic, consistently engaging in physical battles for pucks and showcasing excellent net-front instincts. His puck skills are complemented by good skating, allowing him to navigate heavy traffic effectively. On the power play, he is a valuable asset, displaying a high level of net-front presence and finishing ability. In addition to his power-play value, Poletin excels as a complementary scoring winger, finding open ice and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. He possesses a strong shot and is adept at creating screens and disrupting opponents in the slot. With continued refinement, he projects as a physical middle-six winger who can drive offense and provide net-front presence.
1 Viewing
Comments: Poletin logged a team-high ~24 minutes in a lopsided loss and was his club’s most consistently effective player; his motor never wavered as he effectively used his body in battles, worked the net front with purpose, and finished physically on the forecheck. He skates well-shows very good top-end speed and quickness in tight areas-allowing him to penetrate gaps and apply pressure. Poletin attacks the crease consistently with or without the puck, competes hard every shift, and projects as a player that can be a physical presence with skill who also possesses an excellent shot with a heavy, quick release. Overall, his compete level and two-way work were the clear positives in an otherwise suspect te am performance.
Hayden Paupanekis (C, R, 6’5″, 206, Kelowna Rockets, 02/04/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Hayden Paupanekis is a physically imposing center who brings a high-energy approach to his game. He excels in tight spaces, making plays and driving the attack with his speed and agility. Paupanekis’s skills are complemented by his strong work ethic and compete level, which allows him to finish checks and create pressure on the forecheck. While Paupanekis shows promise in his two-way game, there are areas for improvement, particularly in his defensive zone positioning and decision-making. Refining his stride mechanics and reducing circling will be key to unlocking his full potential. Paupanekis’s combination of size, skill, and determination makes him a valuable asset, and with further development, he has the potential to become a well-rounded player at the next level.
1 Viewing
Comments: Paupanekis is a compete-first forward with a rare blend of size, physicality and finesse: he battles through traffic/contact, uses his strong top-end speed to pressure the forecheck and win board battles, and isn’t afraid to finish hard on defenders to create space. Offensively he can beat defensemen one-on-one thanks to very good hands paired with speed, and on the Rockets’ second power-play unit he offers versatility as both a shooter and a net-front presence while also displaying puck skills and the poise to navigate traffic as the late man on the breakout. Overall he projects as a hard-playing, multidimensional centre who drives play with pace and competitiveness.
Jacob Henderson (D, R, 6’1″, 191, Kelowna Rockets, 03/13/2008)
Game Rating
B
Jacob Henderson has developed into a reliable defenseman who consistently impacts the game with his defensive skills. He competes hard, finishes checks aggressively, and wins battles in front of the net during scrums. On offense, Henderson reads plays well, displays calm puck-handling, and creates chances through clever movement and playmaking. In the defensive zone, he remains composed under pressure, executes dependable outlet plays, and handles the puck effectively to keep possession or transition play. While not the biggest player on the ice, Henderson’s physical edge and mobility allow him to maintain a strong presence in his own end.
1 Viewing
Comments: Henderson played just under 12 minutes but his shifts are always noticeable – he brings relentless compete, physicality and effort regardless of score or situation, consistently impacting the game with his approach. A strong, sturdy skater, he uses his edges to engage opponents, regularly finishing checks hard and standing up for teammates in scrums. He’s a deceptively effective puck mover with very good vision and passing skills – comfortable making the safe, guaranteed plays to relieve pressure but also capable of creative plays like the slick neutral-zone feed, between the skates and stick of a fore checker, to the middle support that sprung a teammate to get on the attack. Reliable in all sit uations, Henderson is a dependable depth piece for the Rockets who provides energy, toughness and smart decision-making every shift.
Ethan McCallum (G, L, 6’4″, 198, Penticton Vees, 04/11/2006)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: McCallum (6’3″) is a prototypical big netminder who consistently makes difficult saves look routine; his size and positional play allow him to cover large portions of the net with minimal, controlled movement. He handles side-to-side, point-of-attack transitions calmly and doesn’t come apart when doing so, routinely presenting sound angles on wing-based attacks and making those chances look easy. In close-quarters play he shows composed puck management—few panic moments on loose pucks and a quick, efficient tendency to smother rebounds or cover the puck. Overall, a steady 26-save shutout performance that highlights his reliability and positional strengths.
Ethan Weber (D, R, 6’0″, 191, Penticton Vees, 12/10/2006, Penn State)
Game Rating
B+
Ethan Weber is a well-rounded defenseman who excels in his mobility and puck skills. He has excellent acceleration, allowing him to quickly change direction and evade pressure. His vision and passing are strong, making him a consistent playmaker from the back end. Defensively, he is reliable and physical, willing to engage opponents with authority while supporting his teammates in scrums. Weber’s ability to read the game early and make smart decisions puts him in a position to be a key contributor on both offense and defense. His gap control and decision-making create scoring opportunities, and his mobility allows him to jump into plays at the right time. While he may not be an exceptional skater, his overall skill level and poise make him a reliable option for his team.
1 Viewing
Comments: Weber possesses in interesting combination as an offensively gifted, mobile defenseman but who also plays with noticeable grit and physical pushback; he logged nearly 17 minutes in this game, taking shifts on the second power-play and second penalty-kill units. He shows high-end puck skills and calm poise under pressure. Defensively in transition where he wins one-on-one neutral-zone battles by angling opponents and finishing plays with decisive contact. His high end offensive instincts were highlighted on the power play when he received the puck in the high slot, sold a wrist-shot fake, stepped right and ripped a hard wrister to beat the goalie cleanly. Reliable in his own end overall, his defen sive-zone fundamentals are sound but would benefit from continued tightening and consistency to match his offensive upside.
Sean Burick (D, R, 6’8″, 211, Penticton Vees, 01/09/2008, Denver)
Game Rating
B
Burick is a large, right-shot defenseman with good IQ and refined puck skills, allowing him to move the puck with purpose and make smart reads in transition. His physicality has improved, with increased activity in neutral-zone battles and net-front scrums. While his skating is currently average, he can function effectively and improve with mechanical refinement. He handles the puck well, using possession to create better options and making confident first passes out of the defensive zone. Vision and hockey IQ are also strengths, allowing him to make plays and set up his teammates. However, improved mobility will be key for further development and joining plays more effectively. Overall, Burick is a high-upside defenseman with a strong foundation in puck-handling skills and poise. With continued improvement in skating and added physicality, he has the potential to become a solid shutdown defender at the collegiate/professional level.
1 Viewing
Comments: Burick is a 6’7′ right-shot defenceman who logged nearly 15 minutes of ice time and won roughly 65% of his battles in the outing (55% season mark). He projects well physically and is a good skater for his size, with enough initial quickness to be effective for now, though his overall mechanics and acceleration should remain the primary developmental priorities. His puck skills, poise and on-puck awareness are good-he sees the play and makes sound decisions but, he could reverse handle in the neutral zone more creating more space and then holding onto the puck when needed, rather than just banging it away. Notably, his confidence and willingness to engage in all phases of the game have increased s ince earlier in the season, making him an increasingly reliable, high-upside defensive option with continued work on footwork and quickness.
Brady Birnie (C, L, 5’8″, 171, Penticton Vees, 09/07/2005, Bemidji State)
Game Rating
A-
Birnie’s skills showcase his ability to drive offense with his speed and agility. He effectively uses his small frame to navigate tight spaces and create scoring opportunities in the offensive zone. His vision on the ice is excellent, allowing him to set up teammates for tap-ins and make plays from behind the goal line. Birnie’s puck possession skills are impressive, enabling him to carry the puck through traffic and make plays in transition. He’s a strong playmaker who can finish around the net when needed, but his primary role is as an offensive catalyst who drives the attack. His skating allows him to maintain top-end speed, making him a valuable asset on the ice.
1 Viewing
Comments: Birnie is a competitive, high-end dual-threat playmaker despite his smaller stature (about 5’8′). He logged roughly 18 minutes, skated on the top power-play unit as the primary distributor from the flank, and was a constant creative presence all night – on one occasion threading smart chip pass on a wrapped puck from below the goal line to his linemate Evers who was in a dangerous area and, showing a hard flat passing technique. His top-end speed allows him to attack off the rush in 5-on-5 scenarios, using excellent vision to create chances for teammates more often than shooting, though he can shoot when the lane opens. He competes hard along the walls, uses his quickness to pursue pucks, and consistently makes high-IQ plays in tight; a reliable play driver and playmaker who brings pace and poise to the attack.
Ryden Evers (C, L, 6’4″, 196, Penticton Vees, 06/22/2005, Clarkson)
Game Rating
A-
Ryden Evers is a physically gifted centre who excels at both ends of the rink. His size, speed, and agility allow him to dominate puck battles and win faceoffs consistently. He plays a complete 200-foot game, with excellent defensive positioning, hard work in the dirty areas, and a strong compete level. On offense, Evers is a reliable source of scoring, with a high hockey IQ that enables him to make smart plays and find open teammates. Evers’ versatility makes him a valuable asset on both special teams units, where he consistently delivers in key situations. His combination of skill, size, and work ethic makes him a crucial player for his team and a promising prospect for the university level.
1 Viewing
Comments: Evers continues to be the driving force for the Vees, logging 18+ minutes (he played less in the third as the game was out of reach) and playing a key role on the top power play and penalty kill; his game is sneaky strong across the full 200 feet with high compete in all three zones. With the puck he can both drive the attack and create plays – he consistently gets himself open in the offensive zone and quickly releases shots or delivers precise, awareness-driven passes. He shows a relentless motor on loose pucks and in races, is willing to absorb contact to make a play (he got rocked in this game to make a play inside his blue and got right back up), and in transition the puck often finds him (l eading to a breakaway in this game). Defensively he’s effective getting in lanes, using his stick well on puck contests, and disrupting opponents. While his skating technique could use refinement, it hasn’t hindered his ability to cover ice or reach a very good top-end speed. Overall he combines strong puck skills, tight-space creativity (evidenced by a slick backhand sauce feed in the second), tenacity, and two-way reliability – a high-impact contributor at this level.
Cameron Norrie (LW, L, 6’1″, 197, Penticton Vees, 05/29/2007)
Game Rating
B
Cameron Norrie is a physically imposing forward with a strong work ethic, consistently contributing to the team’s efforts through his defensive play and physical presence on the ice. He effectively utilizes his size and strength to finish checks and backcheck aggressively, making him a reliable asset in all three zones. While he excels defensively, his face-off skills are still developing, with an average win rate. Norrie’s primary value lies in his ability to make responsible plays and provide defensive leadership.
1 Viewing
Comments: Norrie (6’1′, left-centre) plays a consistent, competitive, hard game every shift – a dependable depth forward who battles on the walls, finishes physical play in scrums, and reliably pushes back on opponents. A good skater with excellent top-end speed, he consistently gets in on the forecheck, uses an effective inside-out technique to hound defensemen, and shows sound defensive-zone skills. He sees the ice, makes plays when needed, and provides a strong, reliable contribution to the team’s 5-on-5 game while standing out as an effective penalty killer; in this game he logged just over 11 minutes of noticeable, high-effort ice time.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images