
Rockets Drop Tightly Contested Game To Cougars On Friday Night
February 8, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
It was a tightly contested game on Friday night at Prospera Place between the Kelowna Rockets and Prince George Cougars, one that was ultimately won by a 3-2 score in favour of the visitors.
Levi Benson scored the opening goal with Dawson Gerwing potting his 11th of the season while goaltender Jake Pilon turned aside 26 shots in defeat.
GAME SUMMARY
The Rockets opened the scoring when Benson found himself on a breakaway thanks to two Cougars defenders colliding in the neutral zone. Benson broke in on Cougars goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen and beat him with a slick backhand deke to give Kelowna a 1-0 lead. Prince George would answer eight minutes later when Borya Valis tallied his 26th of the season, giving us a tie game through 20.
Prince George would take the lead and then double it when Terik Parascak potted his 22nd of the game on the power play and Riley Heidt would score his 24th of the campaign at 11:13 of the second stanza.
Kelowna would come out hard in the third period and would get rewarded for their efforts as Dawson Gerwing tipped a Will Sharpe point shot on the power play to get Kelowna within one. However, that was as close as they'd get with the Cougars taking a 3-2 victory.
"The guys in there are working," said Rockets Interim Head Coach Derrick Martin about the club's effort tonight. "The guys in that room, they care in there. They care a whole bunch. If we play like we did tonight and Wednesday night in Victoria during the final stretch, we'll be OK."
ADDITIONAL STATS
Kelowna outshot Prince George 33-29
Kelowna went 1/4 on the power play while Prince George went 1/3
Jake Pilon made 26 saves in the game
UP NEXT
The Rockets will now turn their attention to the Tri-City Americans on Saturday in their RE/MAX presents Nickelodeon Night for Children's Miracle Network.
Tickets can be purchased online at selectyourtickets.com, by calling Select Your Tickets at 250-762-5050 or by visiting the Select Your Tickets box office at the Prospera Place box office. The box office is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday home game days.
Images from this story
![]() Kelowna Rockets' Andrew Petruk on game night (Steve Dunsmoor ) |
• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...
Western Hockey League Stories from February 8, 2025
- Vancouver Grabs 6-2 Home Win over Silvertips - Everett Silvertips
- Weekend Ends with Loss in Edmonton - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Shorthanded Chiefs Battle Back to Earn Point in OT Loss Against Royals - Spokane Chiefs
- Swift Current Sneaks Out 2-1 Overtime Win Against Wild Saturday - Wenatchee Wild
- Pats Make Late Third Period Push in 5-3 Loss to Blades - Regina Pats
- Cougars Earn 30th Victory of Season with 3-2 Win Over Kamloops - Prince George Cougars
- Broncos Rally For Overtime Win Against Wenatchee - Swift Current Broncos
- Game Preview: Game 53 vs Prince Albert Raiders - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Host Royals for Coca-Cola Berkly Catton Bobblehead Giveaway Night - Spokane Chiefs
- Oil Kings Back at Home to Battle Warriors - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Broncos Host Wild in First Game at InnovationPlex Since January 18th - Swift Current Broncos
- Game Day Hub: February 8 vs. Seattle - Portland Winterhawks
- Heidt's Historic Night Helps Cougars to 3-2 Win Over Rockets - Prince George Cougars
- Americans Fall to Royals - Tri-City Americans
- Catton, Martin Combine for 9-Points as Chiefs Thrash T-Birds, 9-1 - Spokane Chiefs
- Rockets Drop Tightly Contested Game To Cougars On Friday Night - Kelowna Rockets
- Shorthanded Americans fall to Royals at home - Tri-City Americans
- Winterhawks Topple the Giants 5-2 Behind Five Different Goal Scorers - Portland Winterhawks
- Game Preview: Cougars at Blazers: 0 - Prince George Cougars
- Broncos Rally on the Road Taking Down the Tigers - Swift Current Broncos
- Preview: Americans at Rockets - February 7, 2025 - Tri-City Americans
- Winterhawks in Control in 5-2 Win Over G-Men - Vancouver Giants
- Catton, Martin Combine for 9-Points as Chiefs Thrash T-Birds, 9-1 - Spokane Chiefs
- T-Birds Throttled by Chiefs - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Tigers Fall 5-3 in Return Home - Medicine Hat Tigers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Kelowna Rockets Stories
- Three Rockets Named to NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings
- Rockets to Select Third Overall in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft
- Nashville Predators Re-Assign Hiroki Gojsic to AHL Affiliate
- St. Louis Blues Re-Assign Jakub Stancl to AHL Affiliate
- Winners Of 2025 Kelowna Rockets Awards Presented By Orchard Ford Announced On Tuesday Evening

