Played on Feb 3, 2026
Game Played in Prospera Place
General Game Notes: The hometown Kelowna Rockets overtime difficulties continued as they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Portland Winterhawks, remaining winless in five overtime games. Sam Spehar got the winner in overtime, while Alex Weirermair, Ryan Miller and Will McLaughlin added singles for the Winterhawks. Tij Iginla with two and Ty Halaburda scored for the Rockets. Ondrej Stebetek was excellent in goal for the Winterhawks making 42 saves, 21 in the third period alone.
Parker Alcos (D, R, 6’3″, 181, Kelowna Rockets, 07/20/2006, Quinnipiac)
Game Rating
B+
Alcos is a well-rounded defenseman with a solid skill set. He possesses good skating and acceleration, which enables him to effectively transition the puck up ice. His puck skills are also strong, allowing him to make clean passes on the power play. As a physical player, Alcos defends well in his own end, taking away space in the neutral zone and shutting down chances along the walls. He shows confidence in his mobility, using his first steps to jump into the breakout or carry pucks out of the zone. Alcos displays strong vision and awareness on the ice, making subtle plays to create scoring opportunities. While refinement is needed in his physical play and gap consistency, he projects as a reliable top-four defenseman who can contribute on both special teams and eat tough minutes.
1 Viewing
Comments: Alcos is a key contributor on the back end for the Rockets, logging 27+ minutes per night and seeing time on both the top power-play and penalty-killing units; his heavy usage underscores the coaching staff’s trust in his two-way game. He stands out for his offensive instincts and creativity – frequently leading the attack or jumping into plays to provide an extra layer of offense – yet is rarely caught out of position and shows the mobility and hockey IQ to recover quickly to the defensive side. A confident puck-handler and distributor, Alcos quarterbacks the power play effectively, moves pucks with purpose, and demonstrated great vision with a 100-foot aerial pass to teammate Iginla that set up a breakaway finish, highlighting his ability to create high-leverage scoring chances from the backend.
Tij Iginla (C, L, 6’0″, 191, Kelowna Rockets, 08/01/2006)
Game Rating
A-
Iginla is a physically gifted center with impressive edge work, top-end speed, and strong puck protection skills that enable him to control possession in tight spaces. He excels at absorbing contact and quickly regaining possession, allowing him to dictate the pace of play. He also demonstrates solid two-way capabilities, contributing on both the power play and penalty kill. Iginla’s shot is particularly effective, and his vision and passing ability are assets that can create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. However, he occasionally struggles with puck ownership, holding onto the puck too long and creating turnovers. To refine his game, Iginla will need to work on decision-making and timing, as well as improving his faceoff skills.
1 Viewing
Comments: Iginla is a difference-maker every time he’s on the ice, showing a high end work ethic and competitive determination; he logged team-high forward group minutes at 27+ in this game and is on both special teams, anchoring the power-play flank and penalty killing units. Strong and difficult to dislodge, he protects the puck exceptionally well in traffic, maintains control under pressure, and will dig in and push back physically when required. Combined with excellent top-end speed, mobility, and reliable defensive instincts, he drives pace, creates consistent chances, and offers dependable high end two-way value for his team.
Ondrej Stebetak (G, L, 6’2″, 172, Portland Winterhawks, 07/19/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Stebetak is a physically imposing goaltender who projects as a solid positional netminder. He has good positioning skills, often staying square to shooters and making efficient movements without overextending himself. Stebetak effectively absorbs shots, allowing his team to maintain possession of the puck. He demonstrates confidence and mobility in playing rimed pucks in the trapezoid, showcasing his ability to read plays. His situational awareness is strong, as evidenced by a notable instance where he stayed deep in the crease when faced with a weak-side attacker on the doorstep.
1 Viewing
Comments: Stebatak delivered a composed, workmanlike performance, making 42 saves getting the win in overtime; he showed excellent post-to-post mobility and flexibility, consistently covering the low part of the net and comfortable and calm making saves in traffic. His rebound control and ability to locate loose pucks under pressure, and his positioning often forced shots to hit him, and on shots where he had to move, he seemed to be able to not come apart. Busy and reliable all night, he made the tough saves when he had to such as a save off of an Iginla one timer from close range where he had to move quickly side to side and made a good read. Continued focus on steering rebounds to safe areas and handling pucks more effectively would further elevate his consistency.
Jordan Duguay (C, L, 5’10”, 177, Portland Winterhawks, 02/16/2008)
Game Rating
B
Duguay is a driving force on the Winter Hawks’ offense, contributing to top-line minutes and key power-play duties. His compact frame belies his determination and competitive drive, as he battles for puck possession and creates scoring opportunities. On the ice, Duguay showcases impressive agility and puck-handling skills, allowing him to beat defenders off the rush. His skating ability is complemented by intelligent decision-making, enabling him to create both finishing chances and playmaking opportunities. With a high hockey IQ, he navigates the power play with ease, finding soft areas and moving intelligently to deliver set-ups for his teammates.
1 Viewing
Comments: Duguay plays quality minutes (21+) for the Winterhawks, 5 on 5 and on the top power-play unit and brought relentless energy every shift; he’s a high-tempo, hard-working forward who consistently drives play with excellent top-end speed and strong edge work, willing to grind along the boards in puck battles. He’s an aggressive puck pursuer – when he’s not first on the puck he hounds opponents to regain possession – and shows quick, shifty one-on-one ability to beat defenders and create chances. His hockey IQ and on-ice awareness are evident in his reads and playmaking choices, making him effective in transition and on the man-advantage; note he does not take penalty-killing minutes, but possesses traits that would surely allow him to in the future. Overall, a fast, competitive forward with strong offensive instincts and compete-level that translate to consistent impact shifts.
Ryan Miller (LW, L, 6’0″, 178, Portland Winterhawks, 05/03/2007, Denver)
Game Rating
B+
Ryan Miller displayed exceptional work ethic throughout the game, consistently delivering a high level of performance despite his team struggling in the first two periods. As a skater, he utilizes his speed to create space and drive defenders wide, then quickly closes out on scoring chances. Miller is a formidable net-front presence, finishing plays with physicality and aggression. He excels at protecting the puck, backpressuring effectively, and handling it well both in transition and in neutral zones. His ability to make plays using his speed makes him a versatile threat on offense, and he consistently demonstrates a high level of skill and dedication to the game.
1 Viewing
Comments: Miller is a high-energy forward that plays the game hard, scored his 20th goal of the season by doing what he does best – going hard to the net and finishing from the top of the crease – and now sits at 50 points in 47 games. He’s an excellent skater with top-end speed and a sudden, inside cut that consistently causes defensemen problems and creates high-danger chances; once he gets half a step he attacks the slot with purpose. He complements his drive with very good puck skills and playmaking vision, routinely finding teammates and making timely plays in traffic. Miller’s compete level and physicality stand out every shift – he battles through bodies, is willing to absorb hits to make plays, and brings a gritty edge that refuses to be pushed around. Overall he profiles as a pace-setting, net-front scorer and play-driver who gives his team consistent offensive impact and tenacity. In this game, he led his teams forward group and ice time with 23+ minutes, while being a key contributor on both the top power-play and penalty killing units.
Will McLaughlin (D, L, 6’2″, 169, Portland Winterhawks, 03/10/2008, Colorado College)
Game Rating
B+
McLaughlin is a well-rounded defenseman who consistently makes plays and contributes at both ends of the ice. He possesses good mobility, using his surfing technique effectively to maintain position in tight spaces. His puck skills are reliable, and he shows strong passing vision, making him a valuable asset on power play and penalty kill units. While not physically gifted in terms of size or strength, McLaughlin uses body positioning smartly to impede opponents and finishes contact well. He has improved his battle-rate over the past two games, demonstrating high-IQ defensive abilities. His ability to pre-scan before possession and jump into the attack as an extra layer makes him a reliable defender.
1 Viewing
Comments: McLaughlin is a deceptively skilled two-way defenceman whose outward game can understate a very good hockey IQ and technical ability; while his skating mechanics need some refinement, he displays good top-end speed, some quickness in tight spaces, and the ability to close gaps in the neutral zone where he and is sound on attack one on ones where he angles well. He shows very good puck skills and calmness – exemplified when he received the puck at the offensive blue line, faked a shot, beat a defender to the middle and ripped a quick wrister through traffic for a goal – and is trusted as the top-unit power-play as quarterback at the top where his vision is on display. Overall a high-impact player with poise and good offensive instincts; the main area to clean up is his puck-battle percentage (slightly under 50% on the season and noticeably weaker over the last three games), thus he needs to dig in a little more and add more physicality to his game to round out what is a very solid upside.
Jake Gustafson (RW, R, 6’4″, 179, Portland Winterhawks, 04/03/2008, Colorado College)
Game Rating
B-
Gustafson is a well-rounded right winger with a strong work ethic, utilizing his size to create space on the ice. He demonstrates reliable puck skills and poise in both possession and passing situations. Gustafson’s shot and release are quick and heavy, complementing his playmaking abilities. While he may not possess a physical presence on the ice, he consistently competes for pucks and makes smart decisions with the puck.
1 Viewing
Comments: Gustafson is a big right centre that’s skates well who shows top-end speed and good skating mechanics, though adding another gear would elevate his game; he uses his pace to drive the attack through the neutral zone and can control play at the offensive blue line. He displays confident puck skills and vision-creating plays like a slick two-on-one feed that set up a quality chance-and consistently works hard on both ends, battling physically along the walls, backchecking with intent and using his stick effectively in board battles. Defensively he is generally sound, but he needs to tighten up decision-making/urgency under pressure after a costly turnover when he was stripped behind his own net in the third period resulting in a goal. Ice time was limited to just over ten minutes in this game, roughly four minutes below his season average, which constrained his overall impact.
Niko Tsakumis (D, L, 5’9″, 145, Portland Winterhawks, 07/05/2005, Alaska Anchorage)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Tsakumis is a steady, dependable defensive defenceman for the Winterhawks who consistently eats heavy minutes (near 24 TOI this game) and anchors the penalty kill while able to contribute occasional power-play minutes; he reads the defensive zone well, displays patience with the puck and rarely forces plays, and routinely makes a clean first pass out of danger to jumpstart transition. Mobile and sound on his edges, he recovers quickly on retrievals and is comfortable carrying the puck out of his end, showing confident puck-moving instincts. He competes somewhat physically across the ice, willing to play the body and win battles with strong technique – reflected in roughly a 60% success rate – making him a reliable top 4 option shut down player on the back end.
Reed Brown (C, L, 5’11”, 161, Portland Winterhawks, 02/22/2008)
Game Rating
B+
Reed Brown is a dynamic and mobile winger with a strong skill set that allows him to be a valuable asset on the team. He possesses exceptional straight-line speed and acceleration, making him a threat on the forecheck and in transition. His quick feet and agility enable him to evade defenders and create scoring opportunities. Brown also shows impressive backchecking skills and strong neutral-zone angling, making him a reliable contributor on defense. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in puck/board battles where his success rate is under 40%. Consistently translating his speed and effort into sustained impact will be crucial to unlocking his full potential. With his high-speed elusive abilities and competitive instincts, Brown has the tools to become a top-tier player with further development.
1 Viewing
Comments: Brown is a young, dynamic forward who blends high end small-area acceleration and top-end speed with good puck skills and a competitive, gritty, physical edge. His feet are quick allowing him to reach top speed after only a few strides and uses that burst to create separation, escape traffic in tight areas, and attack the net or set up teammates; his hands are quick and composed in confined space. Equally willing to engage physically, Brown competes hard on the forecheck, can win battles along the boards and showing a knack for finishing or retrieving loose pucks. He logged nearly 14 minutes in this game, drawing responsibility on both the second power-play unit and on penalty kill duty for the Winterhawks, indicating coaching trust and versatility.
Alex Weiermair (C, R, 6’1″, 191, Portland Winterhawks, 05/10/2005, Denver)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Weiermair is an offensively dangerous forward with a very good blend of quick, decisive skating and the strength to protect pucks under pressure; his edge work, elusiveness and soft hands allow him to create high-danger chances consistently. He displays smart zone entry play – notably attacking the middle off the blue line with a curl-and-drag into a heavy release – and quickly retrieves pucks off the wall to either drive to the net or draw defenders and find teammates. He shows poise and timing in tight spaces (one sequence saw him make a slick give, then find open space, get it back and finish on a one-time slapshot), projects as a primary power-play option on the top unit, and is relied on heavily in all situations with nearly 23 minutes this game; his 55% faceoff win rate further underlines his value at both ends of the ice.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images