For the first time ever, the Prince George Cougars have picked up a win over the Penticton Vees, and it came in about as dramatic of fashion as possible.
The Cougars needed overtime to secure the 4-3 win.
The Vees gained a 3-2 lead on a questionable goal 9:45 into the third period, when Nolan Stevenson fired a puck past Josh Ravensbergen, who was interfered with on the play.
“I didn’t like the call, I let him know that, I still don’t like the call after looking at it,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb on the post game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“I felt like I just couldn’t move my glove, but it’s tough with no review, so just in the moment you can get upset,” Ravensbergen said on the post-game show.
“You’ve got to realize too the refs are just doing their best, no review makes it hard. It is what it is, it was just unfortunate.”
After the Cougars called their timeout and pulled Ravensbergen for the extra attacker, Dmitri Yakutsenak forced overtime, potting a rebound with just 33 seconds to go.
DMITRI YAKUTSENAK SENDS US INTO OVERTIME!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/Dxzmj0lYMf pic.twitter.com/g9dhWjgvcx
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 11, 2026
In overtime, Brock Souch called game, taking a cross-ice feed from Carson Carels and putting the puck into a yawning cage, sending the 3,526 fans at the CN Centre into a frenzy.
BROCK SOUCH CALLS GAME
COUGS WIN!!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/4N6RJLxhui pic.twitter.com/rbSbQQejMU
“It was nice, especially against that team,” Lamb said.
“That’s a tough team over there, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re heavy, they can make plays, you have to do a lot of work to beat them, and we did enough tonight (Tuesday).”
In six matchups with the Vees this season, Penticton claimed the first five.
“It’s nice to beat them, because we’re the sole reason that they’re in first place, they beat us those five games there, that’s the reason right there, so it was pretty special to beat them tonight,” Lamb said.
Ravensbergen was excellent on the night, stopping 29 pucks and making several key saves.
Leading up to the exciting finish, the game had a tight-checking playoff feel to it.
The Vees opened the scoring early, when Ryden Evers found the back of the net on a rebound, just 3:17 into the opening period.
Ryden Evers opens the scoring for the @PentictonVees!@SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/RYUWMfTvgs
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 11, 2026
Koy Funk tied the game just past the halfway point of the first period, tipping home a Corbin Vaughan point shot.
Koy Funk tips home his 4th of the year!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/DFDgYjbfWW pic.twitter.com/CT5EVp2rJu
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 11, 2026
A little more than two minutes later, the Vees restored their lead when the puck took a strange bounce over a Cougars defender’s stick, leaving a golden opportunity for Brittan Alstead to score on Ravensbergen.
Oops! 😳@PentictonVees pic.twitter.com/6KSw1Un4JM
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 11, 2026
12:53 into the second, the Cougars connected on a beautiful passing play with the man advantage, allowing Terik Parascak to put the puck into a wide open net to tie it and set up the wild finish.
Terik Parascak finishes off a beautiful passing play on the man advantage for his 31st of the season!@Capitals | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/vX1wMkoFha pic.twitter.com/ftrVyn6PUb
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 11, 2026
The box score is here.
With the win, the Cougars (39-22-2-0) have clinched home ice in the first round of the WHL playoffs. For the Cougars, this will be the fourth year in a row with home ice in the first round, and it’s the first time the team has hit that milestone.
With the overtime point, the Vees (41-13-5-4) clinched the BC Division.
The Cougars lead the Kelowna Rockets (35-19-6-3) in the race for third in the Western Conference by a single point, both teams have five games left in their schedule.
The WHL standings are here.
The Cougars will host the team’s annual retro weekend on Friday and Saturday, hosting PG’s Don Nachbaur and the Wenatchee Wild.
The full Cougars schedule can be found here.
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