Everybody loves a good underdog story.
Enter Kason Kobelka.
The 19-year-old journeymen goaltender is fitting in like a glove with the Prince George Cougars.
That sentiment rung true Tuesday night as his 36-save performance uplifted the Cougars to a contested 4-3 shootout victory over the Penticton Vees in front of 2,864 fans at CN Centre.
@carlsjrca Highlights: Cougars (4) Vees (3) (SO)
#ForTheNorth | #WHL https://t.co/HfdfUMHZKW
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 11, 2026
Kobelka’s path back to the WHL has been anything but conventional.
After getting a raw deal with the Calgary Hitmen in 2024-25, where he went 2-0 with a respectable 2.72 goals against average, it’s been a bit of a milk run for the Calgary product who has been a star on the Junior A circuit.
Last season with the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs, Kobelka put up a 19-9-3 record with 2.33 goals against average and a .915 save percentage.
Kobelka then elected to try his hand in the BCHL and encountered some early bumps in the road getting cut by the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Victoria Grizzlies before finding a home with the Vernon Vipers.
It was in the North Okanagan where the 19-year-old found lightning in a bottle posting a gaudy 3-0-1 record with a 1.05 goals against average and .963 save percentage catching the eye of the Cougar brass at the BCHL Showcase in Alberta.
Through it all, Kobelka is thankful to get another crack at the WHL.
“I definitely didn’t think I would be here at the start of the year after getting cut by two teams already. Being here, I am very grateful to Lamber and the coaching staff and everyone taking a chance on me.”
“This is my fifth game now so I am starting to get more comfortable after being in Junior A so I am noticing that I am more comfortable.”
And the Cougars sure needed Kobelka’s quick reflexes in the opening 20 minutes, turning aside all 14 Penticton shots.
After the Cougars settled in, Kaden Lemire bolted on a 2-on-1 after a misplay at centre ice by a Vees blueliner. The Minnesota Wild prospect then gave a sweet saucer pass to Kash Andresen who made no mistake on Vees goalie Kaelen Smith for a 1-0 lead.
Goals in back to back games from Kash Andresen and we are feelin’ RICH 🤑🫰
@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/hojvRiG2he
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 11, 2026
Nine minutes later, it would be Lemire’s turn to cash in as a cross-ice feed from Jett Lajoie found a streaking Dermot Johnston who was stopped in tight by Smith – however Lemire buried the rebound into a yawning cage double the PG edge.
A goal and an assist in the first for Kayden Lemire!
@minnesotawild | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/xjrEIZuMTR
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 11, 2026
Penticton put the peddle to the metal in the second period, outshooting the Cougars 9-5 but were turned aside for the most part by Kobelka.
Roberts Naudins spoiled the perfect game at the 10:54 mark as his power move from the icing line led to a quick shot through the five-hole.
The Cougars then got an ominous bounce from the Hockey Gods in the third period as a hard shot by Jace McFaul took a hard rip off the glassing and boomeranged right to the stick of Dmitry Yakutsenak for a 3-1 lead.
Looking for the kill shot, Smith stood tall later in the frame to keep the visiting Vees in it. The 18-year-old stone Riley Ashe on a 2-on-1 one and then turned aside Lajoie for good measure.
If you thought the Cougars and third period leads are getting along all of sudden, that theory went kaput.
Tristan Peterson trimmed the deficit to one as he capitalized on a Gavin Katz pass the beat Kobelka.
Then with 2:43 to go, Kobelka was unable to freeze a loose puck at the side of the goal only to see the puck poked in by the stick blade of Nate Pederson.
Overtime solved nothing, but Yakutsenak and Tre Peck rose to the occasion in the shootout for the Cougars while Katz was the lone Penticton player to light the lamp in the glorified skills competition.
The Vees outshot the Cougars 39-23 while both teams went 1-for-4 on the power-play.
Despite outshooting Prince George 14-8 after 20 minutes, Vees bench boss Fred Harbinson wasn’t too thrilled with his team’s road start.
“I didn’t like how we started. We had a tough first period – we weren’t where we needed to be and dug ourselves a hole and you put yourself in a situation where it will be tough to come back.”
“I give our guys credit because we had a disallowed goal and still made it a one-goal game going into the third. Prince George gets that bounce off the glass, but we responded with a goal and tie it. It was good to get the point.”
On the flip side, Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb said it was a fortunate outcome after hanging on a little too much in the second period.
“We have played better games than that and have not come away with any points so that is very positive to give us some confidence. We need to get more people involved; we don’t want to shorten up the bench and play in games like this.”
Kobelka earned his second consecutive first star honour thanks to many key saves in the first 40 minutes, Lamb was quick to credit his goaltending duo of Kobelka and Peyton Shore for giving them a chance most nights.
“We were pretty flat with not a lot of life in the second period, and he (Kobelka) kept us there. It was a tough one at the end where it’s happened to us a few times but overcoming that tonight – hopefully this helps,” added Lamb.
“Both of our guys have given us really quality games. He (Kobelka) works hard and he makes good plays with the puck too when he needs too and he is just a solid goalie right now.”
In five appearances with the Cougars, Kobelka is 3-1-0-1 with a 2.88 goals against average a .906 save percentage.
The Cougars are 3-1-1-1 in their last six outings.
Prince George improved to 6-8-1-2 on the season sitting in 10th spot in the Western Conference. Penticton, on the other hand, falls to 8-8-0-2.
Both teams complete their mid-week showdown with a Remembrance Day Matinee at 2pm from CN Centre.
Back-to-back extra time home ice wins!
#ForTheNorth | #WHL https://t.co/wIyVt1DUFU
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 11, 2026
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