Vees Fall in First WHL Home Opener
Published on September 27, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Penticton Vees News Release
The Penticton Vees got out to a quick start on Saturday in Penticton but were unable to hold off the Kelowna Rockets falling by a 5-4 score in their inaugural WHL home opener.
It was a record crowd on an historic night in Penticton with 5,307 fans filing into the South Okanagan Event Centre.
Penticton notched their first goal on home ice since joining the WHL quickly as Diego Johnson swatted home a cross ice feed just 12 seconds into the game sending the SOEC into a frenzy. Ryden Evers batted a puck out of the air later in the frame to send the score to the first intermission 2-0 Vees.
The Vees would add to their lead in the second Jacob Kvasnicka scoring his first WHL goal to make the score 3-0.
The Rockets would battle back with two before the period ended to send the score 3-2 to the third period.
Kelowna would strike twice more early in the third to gain their first lead of the night at 4-3. The Vees didn't go away quietly however as Brady Birnie made a gorgeous cross-crease pass to Johnson who made no mistake for his second of the night to even the game 4-4.
The Rockets got a late powerplay on a tripping call and would find the back of the net with the man advantage. That would be the game winner and make the final 5-4 Rockets.
The two teams are back at it tomorrow in Kelowna for a 6:05PM start.
GAME STATS
Shots:
Vees- 36
Rockets- 22
Scoring:
Vees- Diego Johnson (2), Ryden Evers, Jacob Kvasnicka
Rockets- Tomas Poletin (2), Hiroki Gojsic, Jacob Henderson, Owen Folstrom (GWG, PP)
Power Plays:
Vees- 0/4
Rockets- 1/5
Goaltending:
Vees- Jesse Sanche 17/22
Rockets- Josh Banini 32/26
Up Next: The Vees head down the 97 to Kelowna tomorrow night for the rematch at 6:05PM
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