Rockets Stun Cougars with Two Goals in Final 42 Seconds to Snap Perfect Start
WHL Prince George Cougars

Rockets Stun Cougars with Two Goals in Final 42 Seconds to Snap Perfect Start

Published on October 9, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince George Cougars News Release


PRINCE GEORGE, BC - The Prince George Cougars were seconds away from extending their perfect start to the season, but a late surge from the Kelowna Rockets spoiled the night. The Rockets scored twice in the final 42 seconds to stun the Cougars 5-4 on Wednesday at the CN Centre.

The Cougars opened the scoring midway through the first period when Kooper Gizowski blasted a one-timer past Kelowna netminder Josh Banini at 10:53. The opening frame also featured a spirited tilt between Patrick Sopiarz and Rowan Guest, with the Cats taking a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

Early in the second, the Rockets tied the game 1-1 as Kayden Longley struck shorthanded at 3:11. The Cougars quickly answered on the same power-play when Jett Lajoie buried his fifth of the season just 27 seconds later. Kelowna evened things up again less than a minute later when Hiroki Gojsic fired top corner past Josh Ravensbergen at 4:27. The period ended with another scrap, as Lajoie dropped the gloves with Nate Corbet, sending the game into the third tied 2-2.

In the third period, the Cougars regained momentum. Aiden Foster redirected a Bauer Dumanski point shot for his second of the season at 1:43 to make it 3-2. Moments later, Riley Ashe exited the penalty box and scored on a breakaway to extend the lead to 4-2 at 8:42. However, Kelowna responded quickly-just 17 seconds later-when Connor Pankratz buried a rebound to make it 4-3.

With time winding down, the Cougars nearly sealed it when Terik Parascak and Kayden Lemire had a two-on-one with the Kelowna net empty, but couldn't convert. The Rockets capitalized moments later, as Longley scored his second of the night to tie the game at 19:18. Then, in the dying seconds, a clean faceoff win in the Cougars' zone came right to Tomas Poletin, who fired home the game-winner to complete the comeback and hand the Rockets a 5-4 victory.

The loss ends the Cougars' perfect 4-0 start to the season. Prince George will look to rebound this weekend when they host the Tri-City Americans for Community Heroes Weekend, with games Saturday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM at the CN Centre.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2025


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