Played on Mar 7, 2026
Game Played in Prospera Place
General Game Notes: The visiting Victoria Royals were no match for the Kelowna Rockets on this night as they were down 4-1 after one period and 7-2 after two with a final score of 9-2. Tij Iginla again led the way with a goal and five points, while Shane Smith added two goals and singles went to Hayden Paupanekis, Keith McInnis, Ty Halaburda, Mazden Leslie, Owen Folstrom, and Rowan Guest with his first goal of the season. Goaltender Josh Banini made 28 saves to earn the win for the Rockets.
Connor Pankratz (RW, R, 5’10”, 174, Kelowna Rockets, 01/12/2006)
Game Rating
B-
Pankratz is a well-rounded right winger who brings a strong work ethic to the ice. He excels in his defensive role, displaying good awareness and reliability when protecting his own end. On offense, he has adequate puck skills and can be a factor on rebound goals or battles, but his overall ceiling appears limited.
1 Viewing
Comments: Pankratz (5’10’) is a relentless, high-energy depth forward for the Rockets who consistently brings pace and pressure; his skating and top-end speed allow him to jump on the forecheck quickly and be a disruptive force through persistent puck pursuit and willingness to finish physically. While he isn’t a primary scoring threat, he creates chances by chasing loose pucks, shows reliable puck skills and the ability to feed teammates, and provides responsible five-on-five minutes (season average ~10.5 minutes per game, slightly elevated in this game). An area for improvement is his puck battle consistency-currently under 50% on the season-which limits his effectiveness at maintaining possession after initial pressure. Overall he offers a steady, energetic depth presence night to night.
Ty Halaburda (LW, R, 5’11”, 190, Kelowna Rockets, 04/22/2005, Colorado College)
Game Rating
B+
Ty Halaburda is a dynamic forward who brings elite skating and high-end puck skills to the team. He excels as both a finisher and a distributor, generating offense using speed to drive the net and draw defenders. His compete level away from the puck is evident in his relentlessness to regain possession. As a two-way contributor, Halaburda plays on special teams units and demonstrates strong defensive skills, including positioning and stick handling. He showcases impressive puck control, vision, and the ability to make plays in traffic. His faceoff game adds value in key situations. While areas for improvement include overall technique in board battles and 50/50 situations, Halaburda’s strengths outweigh these weaknesses, making him a reliable impact option on both ends of the ice.
1 Viewing
Comments: Halaburda is a high-end, all-around contributor for the Rockets who impacts every phase of the game – five on five, a regular on the top penalty-killing unit and a dependable power-play option. He’s an excellent skater with top-end speed and strong maneuverability, able to drive play off the rush and create danger with a blend of puck skills and mobility; his patience and shot selection produced a hard, well-placed strike for his 29th goal of the season. Averaging about 20 minutes per night, Halaburda wins draws (55% on the dot), competes physically despite a smaller frame, battles effectively along the boards, goes to the front of the net, and isn’t afraid to finish checks or push back in scrums. Versatile and reliable, he can play wing or center and consistently delivers strong two-way value for his team.
Jacob Henderson (D, R, 6’1″, 191, Kelowna Rockets, 03/13/2008)
Game Rating
B
Henderson is a dependable defenseman with a well-rounded skill set, demonstrating mobile play, calm composure, and smart decision-making on both offense and defense. He brings a heavy wrist shot and physicality to the ice, consistently engaging in battles and protecting the front of his net. His strong skating ability allows him to maintain excellent body positioning when defending, while his puck-handling skills enable him to make effective first and secondary passes. In situations where he is tasked with moving the puck up the ice, Henderson displays a deceptively effective puck mover with good vision and passing skills. He is comfortable making safe plays to relieve pressure but also capable of creative plays to create scoring opportunities. His ability to read the play well and find pockets of space makes him a trustworthy two-way contributor.
1 Viewing
Comments: Henderson is a dependable, under-the-radar right-side defenseman for the Rockets who logged nearly 19 minutes in this game and consistently supplies steady, quality minutes on the back end. A sturdy, mobile skater, he defends hard and finishes checks with physicality while showing no hesitation to engage in puck battles (season success north of 55%). He complements his physical play with strong puck skills – poised puck handling and clean puck-moving – and uses deception well in his playmaking (fakes, holds, then quickly moves the puck or his feet to create opportunities). Rarely prone to costly mistakes, Henderson brings consistent compete and reliable decision-making, making him an ideal top-four/penalty-kill option who quietly makes plays and steadies the defensive corps.
Seth Fryer (D, R, 6’7″, 197, Victoria Royals, 06/23/2006, Alaska Fairbanks)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Fryer is a 6’6′ right-shot defenseman who quietly impacts the game with his overall engagement, size, work ethic and reliable puck skills. He brings a solid defensive style, isn’t flashy by any means, but is very effective for a big man, showing sound skating and mobility and the ability to move the puck out of danger. He logged almost 20 minutes and played top-four minutes, key on the penalty kill, battling hard along the boards and winning puck battles while handling forecheck pressure well. Fryer brings a physical presence and isn’t afraid to defend teammates – dropping the gloves in this game – and his versatility to play his off-side on the left was notable, adds roster flexibility for a coach.
Timofei Runtso (D, R, 6’2″, 187, Victoria Royals, 07/06/2007, Miami (Ohio))
Game Rating
B+
Runtso is a well-rounded defenseman who excels at both ends of the ice. He uses his strong skating and mobility to effectively drive play from the point, while also being a reliable presence in his own end. Runtso displays poise and confidence on the puck, allowing him to consistently activate with the puck through the neutral zone and on the offensive blue line. He is physically capable of finishing plays on the body when needed, and mixes physicality with good stick skills to create turnovers. On the power play, he confidently moves the puck across the ice, finding open teammates or generating quick wrist shots. Runtso’s defensive game also shows promise, as he combines physicality with a good stick to disrupt opponents.
1 Viewing
Comments: Runtso is an intriguing two-way prospect with a solid, well-rounded skill set and an engaged, hard-working style; he averaged just over 23 minutes on this night (slightly below his 25-minute season mark) and has posted an attractive 58% battle success rate on the season. He’s a good skater with above-average top-end speed and overall mobility, though his stride mechanics need refinement. Defensively he reads the play well-getting up in the neutral zone to defend the rush, picking off passes, and finishing physically when required-while at the offensive blue line he shows poise, the ability to carry the puck and drive attack and, dive in off the offensive blue creating opportunities. On puck retrievals he can be evasive, moves the puck effectively and calmly transports it up ice; there’s rarely panic with the puck and he consistently looks to make plays. A reliable all-around contributor for the Royals, he’s trusted on both the top power play and penalty kill and projects as a steady top-four defenseman with continued upside if his skating mechanics are tightened.
Odin Vauhkonen (D, L, 6’1″, 192, Victoria Royals, 09/16/2008, Harvard)
Game Rating
B
Odin Vauhkonen is a promising left-side defender who has gained increasing trust from coaches, warranting more playing time and specialized duties. His skating, while average, allows him to efficiently navigate the ice and improve through mechanical work. Vauhkonen’s puck skills and vision are above average, enabling him to create scoring opportunities with his quick wrist shot. He is effective at opening shooting lanes on the offensive blue line and consistently gets shots through. However, he will need to focus on increasing his strength to compete against more physical opponents.
1 Viewing
Comments: Vauhkonen (late 2008) is a steady, reliable left-side defender for the Royals who logged 23+ minutes in this game-slightly above his season average and the second-highest TOI among defencemen-showing he can be trusted for heavy deployment. He skates with fundamentally sound mechanics but needs to add quickness and top-end speed; nonetheless he is effective across all situations, contributing on the second power play and on the penalty kill in addition to regular five-on-five minutes. He reads the ice well, executes a calm first pass and prefers to move the puck decisively rather than transport it out of his zone and he will selectively jump in to join the attack. He is not an overly physical defender, although strong positional play and underpin a battle-win rate north of 60%, an impressive mark for his age, and overall he projects as a poised, two-way minutes-eater who will benefit most from improved overall foot speed.
Ludovic Perreault (LW, L, 5’7″, 167, Victoria Royals, 03/20/2009)
Game Rating
B+
Perreault showcased his impressive hockey IQ through tenacious puck pursuit and board battles, demonstrating a strong compete level that allowed him to win key possessions. His skating was solid, with good speed and agility, making it difficult for defenders to keep up with him. Perreault’s ability to create traffic around the paint helped generate scoring opportunities for his team.
1 Viewing
Comments: Perreault, a compact 5’7′ forward, plays well beyond his size with a gritty, high-energy style; he attacks the forecheck, finishes battles hard and shields the puck effectively in traffic. With the puck he’s quick and shifty – capable of tight spins and sudden bursts to create plays…as on one occasion when he drove wide, delayed, and delivered a smart feed to a mid-lane driver – and he shows very quick hands and a good release. He isn’t shy about taking hits to make plays and brings relentless compete-levels every shift. His top-end speed is evident, though his stride mechanics are a bit choppy and could be smoothed to improve efficiency. He logged a team-high ~19:30 of ice time and features on the top power play; while he didn’t score in this game he carries a strong 19 goals in 60 games this season, underscoring his offensive upside.
Nolan Stewart (LW, L, 5’10”, 168, Victoria Royals, 01/12/2008)
Game Rating
B
Nolan Stewart is a hard-working right wing known for his tenacity along the boards and willingness to drive to the net. He consistently battles for pucks and shows a strong forecheck, as seen in this game where he scored on a seeing eye shot. Stewart possesses reliable hands and playmaking ability, earning time on the power-play unit and penalty kill. While he faces some physical limitations, his potential is evident with continued development of his strength and poise.
1 Viewing
Comments: Stewart is a gritty, high-IQ two-way forward who may not wow with elite foot speed or size but competes hard the full 200 feet and reliably defends his zone; he logged 18 minutes (his season average) in this game and was a respectable even on the plus-minus despite his team allowing nine goals. Offensively he profiles as a skilled playmaker-comfortable in tight spaces with strong hands and puck skills, he consistently finds teammates (31 assists in 57 games this season) and can create plays under pressure, exemplified by a dump-in forecheck sequence where he evaded a defender, cycled up the wall, drew three defenders and delivered a timely backhand chip to Nelson for a goal. He was on the top penalty killing unit along with the second power-play unit. He’s won 45% of his battles on the year, competes physically when required (responding to a heavy hit with a spirited bout with a much bigger Rockets player), and projects as a dependable, high-competence middle-six forward with upside as a secondary playmaker.
Hayden Moore (C, R, 5’11”, 181, Victoria Royals, 03/19/2006)
Game Rating
B
Moore is a dependable two-way player who consistently showcases impressive puck-handling skills and solid defensive presence over 200 feet on the ice. He demonstrates reliable endurance, logging significant ice time in games, and maintains an effective success rate in competitive situations. With a strong focus on defense, Moore also possesses potential for offense, making him a valuable asset to his team. Moore’s skating is solid, featuring decent top-end speed that enables him to play well in fast-paced games. His sound puck skills allow him to make plays in tight situations, and he consistently battles for puck possession, driving play forward with a strong work ethic. Moore’s instincts and awareness are evident in his ability to read the play and create scoring opportunities.
1 Viewing
Comments: Moore is a right-centre that is a good skater and decent top-end speed who shows offensive instincts and playmaking ability – notably on a two-on-one for the Royals where he slid a slick pass through a defender’s skates for a tap-in by linemate Nelson. He displays good puck skills, contributes on the second power-play unit (flank) and on the top penalty-killing unit, and is a reliable option on the face-off dot (about a 55% success rate). However, he is not overly physical and needs to improve his defensive-zone play, recognizing urgency – he tends to jump to offense prematurely, which has contributed to a -23 rating this season and a below-average board/battle win rate (just over 40%). Overall, Moore has clear offensive tools but must dig in more defensively and win more 50/50 battles to become a consistent two-way centre.
Reggie Newman (RW, R, 6’2″, 200, Victoria Royals, 06/08/2005, Ferris State)
Game Rating
B+
Reggie Newman’s impressive skills as a right winger make him a key player on his team. He combines size with agility, using his speed to effectively engage in forechecking and create plays along the boards. His puck-handling skills are commendable, particularly when protecting the puck in tight spaces. Newman is a versatile contributor, playing an essential role in both power-play and penalty-killing units. He consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic and a clear understanding of his role within the team. His ability to drive to the net with his stick creates challenges for opposing defensemen. Defensively, Newman excels at backchecking with determination, using his stick and body to block shots and disrupt plays. Overall, his combination of size, skill, and high-end effort makes him a valuable asset on the ice.
1 Viewing
Comments: Newman, the Royals captain, is a reliable, hard-nosed two-way leader who brings a consistent, high-effort game every shift…despite the lopsided score in this game. He logged just under 14 minutes in this outing (about five minutes below his season average), chipped in with an assist, and has contributed a respectable 38 points in 50 games this season. At roughly 6’2′, he skates well for his size, handles the puck cleanly, shows good top-end speed, finishes his checks and battles effectively along the boards, and provides steady value on both the top power play and penalty kill-an honest, dependable piece you can trust in all situations.
Roan Woodward (C, L, 5’10”, 178, Victoria Royals, 09/03/2005)
Game Rating
B
Roan Woodward displayed a mix of skills in this game, showcasing his speed and playmaking ability on the power play. He excelled at finding soft spots and creating chances for his team. However, his physical side struggled, as he had difficulty winning board battles and often got knocked off the puck. To improve, Woodward needs to work on elevating his overall compete level to win more battles and translate his power-play instincts into consistent even-strength attacking presence. Additionally, he must focus on shoring up his defensive awareness.
1 Viewing
Comments: Woodward (5’10’) is a compact, offensively driven forward with evident scoring upside – currently has 31 goals on the season – and although he was held off the scoresheet in this game, he consistently creates danger on the flank and as a power-play option on the top unit with a knack for sneaky, creative plays. An average but effective skater with decent top-end speed and evasive footwork, he can drive the attack, is shifty and competes along the offensive-zone walls through traffic; he thrives in tight areas and makes generally smart puck decisions in the attacking end. Defensively he is a clear area for improvement: he can lack urgency and positional awareness in the defensive zone, at times cheating for breakout opportunities and failing to prioritize net-front coverage and positioning…thus a plus minus of -23 on the season. Overall, a dangerous offensive piece whose value would rise significantly with improved defensive structure and commitment.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images