The Prince George Cougars have struck first in the second round of the WHL Playoffs, starting the series against the Penticton Vees with a 4-1 win.
“I think coming out of the last series, we wanted to get over here early and get ourselves organized and rested, and make sure we started on time, and I think that’s what we did tonight (Friday),” said Cougars Associate Coach Jim Playfair on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“We got the first goal, our special teams were good on both sides, we stayed disciplined, I thought we had a real solid game, we stuck to our game plan, and when we did get away from it, it was just a matter of getting back to getting more pucks going to the net.”
Despite getting outshot 35-20, the Cougars were the much better team in game one. The Cougars forecheck was stifling, making it tough for the Vees to break out of their own zone.
“I think that we recognize that our strength is to be in pursuit, and that’s, we want to make sure we have good angles in pursuit, we want to make sure we have good sticks in pursuit, but we want to also make sure we’re responsible and not just running around to create havoc,” Playfair said.
“We have to put pucks to half ice, get our people on top of their people, and their defence are tremendous moving the puck, so we have to just put them under pressure as much as we can with some forechecking pressure, and some good pressure, and then making sure that their receivers are covered. It’s just a mindset we’re trying to get established and for game one, we did a good job.”
The stripes were letting the boys play in Penticton Friday night, with just three penalties called in total, two against the Cougars for kneeing and delay of game, and one against the Vees for goaltender interference.
“I thought they let the game play, I thought they recognized there was some animosity that has to get built up in this series and they allowed the teams to do that,” Playfair said.
“I think that when you get veteran referees, and they recognize a playoff series, it’s got to start with some fire and it can’t be controlled by them and cap the emotion, they have to let the game kind of simmer and they have to let the series build itself up, and then you can identify issues. Once they’re willing to set the guidelines on what’s allowed and what’s not allowed, and I think you have more of a heated rivalry, and I think that’s the key to any in-season battles and post-season battles, you need to have a rivalry with a team, and I think that’s hopefully what we’re trying to establish here.”
4,057 fans attended at the South Okanagan Events Centre, with a healthy contingent of Cougar fans making the drive to Penticton.
“Our fans have been outstanding,” Playfair said.
“I think, since as long as the Cougars have been in Prince George, when the team does the work and puts the product on the ice, the history of the fans in Prince George has always been they’ll come support teams.”
Josh Ravensbergen was excellent for the Cougars, making 34 saves on the night, while Andrew Reyelts made 16 stops on the 19 shots he faced in the Penticton net.
Jett Lajoie opened the scoring 8:23 into the opening period, taking a feed from Lee Shurgot in the slot and firing the puck past Reyelts.
Jett Lajoie has the first goal of the second round, we lead in the first!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/qleOvrA0jX pic.twitter.com/GgA9GWhTge
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 11, 2026
The first penalty of the game came at the tail end of the second period, with Fort St. James product Diego Johnson made contact with Ravensbergen and laid him out.
Unfortunately for the Vees, the Cougars powerplay was hitting at 55.6 per cent in the first round of the playoffs, and that number got even higher Friday night.
With just 13 seconds to go in the second, Kooper Gizowski found Terik Parascak at the side of the net, who redirected the puck past Reyelts to extend the Cougar lead heading into the final frame, and giving the Cougars a powerplay goal on their only opportunity of the night.
Run the Berger, pay the price 😤
Terik Parascak has his 4th of the playoffs on the powerplay!@Capitals | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/039NCqGrqc pic.twitter.com/h6XyuPSVQq
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 11, 2026
The scoring continued for the Cougars early in the third period, when Aiden Foster attempted to score a goal with a between-the-legs shot, but lost the puck in the slot. Lee Shurgot came in to poke the puck into a yawning cage just 43 seconds into the third.
Set play from Aiden Foster and you can’t tell us otherwise 😏@TBLightning | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/tHRyQOeJAl pic.twitter.com/Ax55PKWeeQ
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 11, 2026
With his team on the powerplay and desperate for a spark, Vees Head Coach Fred Harbinson pulled Reyelts for the extra attacker with more than seven minutes to go in the game. The decision did not pay off, and Parascak found the empty net from his own end, putting the Cougars up 4-0 with 15:30 to go.
The Vee’s lone goal when it was too little, too late for a comeback bid. With just 62 seconds to go, Noah Milford caromed the puck off of Ravensbergen from behind the net.
The box score is here.
Game two will be played Saturday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. The series will shift to the CN Centre for games three and four on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Cougars playoff schedule is here.
Other Friday WHL scores:
Everett Silvertips 4 Kelowna Rockets 1
Prince Albert Raiders 6 Saskatoon Blades 1
Medicine Hat Tigers 3 Calgary Hitmen 2 (OT)
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
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