The Penticton Vees have struck back against the Prince George Cougars, clawing out a 5-3 win over the Cats in game three at the CN Centre, bringing the second round series to 2-1 Cougars.
The Cougars jumped out to a strong start, taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. However, the Cougars came out flat in the final 40 minutes, allowing two goals within ten seconds of each other in the second, flipping momentum over to the Vees.
“The second period, even going into the third, we didn’t play the right away,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“Even in the third, you tie it up, you turn a couple pucks over and it’s in the back of our net. We didn’t have our habits, we didn’t have our game tonight.”
Lamb said his team didn’t match the Vees’ energy.
“They wanted it more tonight. It was quite evident,” Lamb said.
“In playoff hockey, you got to play for keeps, and I thought we were casual. We get up two, it tricks you, you think it’s going to be alright, we’ve been playing pretty good. You can’t do that in playoffs, you can do that and maybe get away with it in October, but you certainly can’t in the playoffs against a very good team.”
Special teams were a bright spot for the Cougars in the loss. The first of two penalty kills on the night for the Cougars was as near perfect as it could be, with the combination of Terik Parascak, Aiden Foster, Bauer Dumanski, and Carson Carels holding the puck for a large portion of the two-minute penalty, and giving the Cougars early momentum.
With former Cougar Matteo Danis in the box serving a high-sticking minor, Aiden Foster opened the scoring 16:20 into the opening period, taking a tap feed from Terik Parascak, and beating Andrew Reyelts on a partial break.
Aiden Foster gets a step, the rest is history!@TBLightning | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/gTqhSNK5kq pic.twitter.com/wyn0Wb1Gvh
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 15, 2026
While Foster didn’t score the Cougars second goal, he made a nifty move to find Brock Souch for a tap-in goal, extending to Cougars lead to 2-0 18:51 into the game.
WHAT A PLAY FROM AIDEN FOSTER, WHAT A FINISH FROM BROCK SOUCH@TBLightning | #NHLDraft | @CarlsJrCA pic.twitter.com/TJrIJLjwEx
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 15, 2026
Danis got the Vees on the board 13:40 into the middle frame, jumping on a point-blank rebound that just hung off Josh Ravensbergen’s pad.
Hi, Matteo!👋
His 1⃣st of the #WHLPlayoffs, and the 1⃣st of the game for the @PentictonVees!👀#FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/OPZsYJB9a7
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 15, 2026
Just ten seconds later, Ryden Evers tied the game, jumping on a loose puck in the slot and firing it past Ravensbergen
Have you EVERS seen anything like it??!!
Vees make it 2-2! Catch all the action for FREE on @victoryplustv📺@PentictonVees | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/x2oEncmQhE
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 15, 2026
The Vees gained their first lead of the series with 7:45 to go in the third, when Louis Wehmann and Brady Birnie connected on a 2-on-1 opportunity.
OH. EM. GEE. BRADY BIRNIE😍@PentictonVees take the lead in game 3! Catch all the action for FREE on @victoryplustv.📺#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/uEBWAVz70n
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 15, 2026
Dmitri Yakutsenak restored the tie with 4:13 to go in the third, finding the loose puck in the slot and putting in past Reyelts.
The YAK is so back!😎@PGCougars | #NHLDraft | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/R85Doj05Nb
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) April 15, 2026
Unfortunately for the Cougars, the tie was shortlived. Two minutes and 20 seconds later, Brinie snuck behind the Cougars defence, and received a perfect pass from Wehmann at the side of the net.
The 5,370 fans at the CN Centre started heading for the exits when Jacob Kvasnicka flipped the puck into the empty Cougar net, sealing the 5-3 win.
For the third time in the series, the Vees outshot the Cougars, this time by a 29-21 margin.
Ravensbergen turned aside 24 shots, while Reyelts made 18 stops at the other end.
The box score is here.
Game four will be played Wednesday night at the CN Centre, with game five set for the Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
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