(Image Credit: Facebook/Kamloops Blazers)

By Aaron Schulze

2026 WHL Playoffs

Rivalry renewed: Blazers to take on Rockets in first round of WHL playoffs

Mar 23, 2026 | 5:37 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers will not have to travel far to begin the 2026 Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs. 

The Blazers will face their regional and historic rival – the Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets – in a date with destiny that took all 68 regular season games to book. 

The Blazers finished the regular season fifth in the WHL Western Conference standings with a 31-24-7-6 record, good for 75 points in 68 games. Kamloops finished one point ahead of the sixth-seeded Spokane Chiefs, who were shut out by the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-0 in the final game of the regular season on Sunday (March 22). 

Head-to-head, the Rockets took the regular season series against the Blazers in 2025-26, winning four out of six games. The Blazers took the first two games of the regular season before the Rockets stormed back to take the final four. 

• Friday, Jan. 2 – Kamloops 3, Kelowna 2 (SO) 
• Saturday, Jan. 3 – Kelowna 1, Kamloops 4 
• Friday, Feb. 20 – Kelowna 3, Kamloops 2 (OT) 
• Saturday, Feb. 21 – Kamloops 2, Kelowna 4 
• Friday, March 13 – Kamloops 1, Kelowna 4 
• Saturday, March 14 – Kelowna 5, Kamloops 1 

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The last time the Blazers and Rockets faced off in the postseason was the 2019 WHL Tie Break game, where Kamloops blew out Kelowna 5-1 to punch their ticket to the first round of that year’s playoffs. 

Game one between the Rockets and Blazers takes place Friday (March 27) in Kelowna at 7:05 p.m., with game two of the best-of-seven series following suit the next day Saturday (March 28) at 6:05 p.m. 

The best-of-seven series shifts to Kamloops on Tuesday, March 31 for game three. Game four will take place on Wednesday, April 1. Puck drop for both games is at 7:00 p.m. from Sandman Centre.