Vees, Rockets put on show in first WHL game at Penticton’s South Okanagan Events Centre

Penticton, B.C. – The final outcome may not have been what the record crowd of 5,307 was hoping for, but boy, did the Penticton Vees and Kelowna Rockets put on a show Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

A back-and-forth affair from start to finish, the rival Rockets escaped with a 5-4 victory, but it wasn’t without drama as the host Vees fought tooth and nail to the final buzzer.

After a rousing opening ceremony, which included WHL Commissioner Dan Near addressing a soldout crowd, owners Graham and Sue Fraser dropped the ceremonial puck to get Friday’s fun underway in Penticton.

The hosts didn’t wait long to grab that energy and run with it

Alternate captain Diego Johnson, 19, harnessed the energy of Penticton’s first WHL home game when he scored 12 seconds into regulation, redirecting a pass from Chase Valliant, beating Rockets netminder Josh Banini to give the Vees a 1-0 edge early on.

DIEGO JOHNSON WASTES NO TIME FOR THE FIRST WHL GOAL IN THE @SOEC @PentictonVees | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/VHFcMTV4qn

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 27, 2025

The Vees continued to press and midway through the first period it was 20-year-old forward Ryden Evers driving the net and knocking a bouncing puck out of the air, past the outstretched blocker of Banini to extend the Penticton advantage to 2-0.

New York Islanders prospect Jacob Kvasnicka, 18, extended the lead for the home team 4:13 into the second period. After a clean faceoff win, Kvasnicka went to the slot where he was able to redirect a Morgan Tastad point shot over the shoulder of Banini to make it a 3-0 game. The marker went into the books as the first career WHL goal for Kvasnicka, who hails from Burnsville, Minn.

It look as though the hosts were in complete control.

But with 13:29 to go in the second period, Jacob Henderson got the Rockets on the board, beating netminder Jesse Sanche to make it 3-1, as momentum began to shift.

The Rockets kept coming in the second period as another Islanders prospect, Tomas Poletin, snapped a shot low blocker to draw Kelowna within one.

🇨🇿 CZECH MATE 🇨🇿

First overall selection at the #CHLImportDraft, Tomas Poletin, scores his first goal in the WHL!@Kelowna_Rockets | @NYIslanders | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/cvyEdAjjDa

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 27, 2025

Nashville Predators prospect Hiroki Gojsic completed the comeback for Kelowna, scoring on a fortunate bounce 5:24 into the third period. From the left boards, the veteran Rocket threw the puck out front where it ricocheted off a Vees defenceman and into the net. Suddenly, the game was knotted 3-3.

Poletin showed off his skill as the Rockets continued to pour it on. The Islanders prospect lugged the puck the length of the ice before undressing a Penticton defender inside the blueline and snapping a quick wrist past the blocker of Sanche to make it a 4-3 game. For Poletin, his second goal of the night came midway through the third period and it gave Kelowna its first lead of the game.

FIRST NAME TOMAS, LAST NAME POLETIN 🚀

The @Kelowna_Rockets take the lead!@NYIslanders | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/SIlIc8aju8

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 27, 2025

With 6:57 to go in regulation, the Vees fought back. Johnson slammed home a one-timer from the left circle, registering his second goal of the night to tie the game 4-4.

Just as quickly as Penticton tied it, the Rockets pushed back in front thanks to a power-play goal from Owen Folstrom, who redirected a low shot through Sanche to give the Rockets a 5-4 edge late in the proceedings.

OWEN FOLSTROM SWAYS MOMENTUM BACK INTO THE ROCKETS' FAVOUR 🚀@Kelowna_Rockets | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/8C1lMYLH6t

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 27, 2025

Though the Vees got the goalie out for the extra attacker and generated a number of chances in tight, Banini locked down the crease to preserve the win for the Rockets.

At the end of the contest, the Vees outshot the Rockets by a margin of 36-22, with Banini turning aside 32 of the pucks sent his way.

Penticton’s crowd of 5,307 goes into the history books as the largest crowd in Penticton Vees history.

The two Okanagan rivals will do battle once again Saturday night, this time back in Kelowna when the Rockets (1-1-0-0) welcome the Vees (1-2-0-0) to Prospera Place at 6:05 p.m. PT.