Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Rockets four points back of Cougars

Boettiger brilliant in OT loss

Jan 18, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Saturday night at Prospera Place, falling 3-2 in overtime to the Prince George Cougars.

Defenceman Carson Carels scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway in overtime, but the result did not reflect the full story of the night. That story belonged to Rockets goaltender Harrison Boettiger, who was the best player on the ice and the reason Kelowna earned a point.

“He was awesome for us tonight,” said Rockets assistant coach Brandon McMillan postgame. “It felt like he stole us a point. There were a lot of opportunities for them in the third period where we weren’t in our spots defensively, and he stood tall for us and gave us an opportunity to win.”

Prince George carried long stretches of play, especially late in the game, forcing the Rockets to spend extended time defending in their own zone. McMillan said the Cougars’ simple, direct approach caused problems.

“They executed their game plan really well,” he said. “They kept it simple. They got to the red line, they put the puck in, and they used their forecheck to turn pucks over and create offensive zone time.”

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The pressure showed most clearly in the third period, when the Cougars pushed hard to tie the game.

“We weren’t in our spots defensively,” McMillan said. “We were giving up a lot of great A chances, and that’s where your goalie has to be your best player. Harrison was that for us tonight.”

Despite being outplayed at five-on-five, the Rockets stayed within striking distance thanks to their special teams. Kelowna scored two power-play goals and delivered a critical five-on-three penalty kill early in the second period against the league’s top-ranked power play.

“Anytime you kill off a five-on-three, it’s a huge boost for your team,” McMillan said. “I thought after that, especially in the second period, we carried some of the play. That kill gave us some momentum.”

McMillan also pointed to discipline as a factor, noting that time spent defending led directly to penalties.

“We just defended too much in the first period,” he said. “When you spend that much time in your own end, you start taking penalties. You’re chasing the game, you’re tripping guys, you’re reaching, and that’s what happens.”

Kelowna carried a 2-1 lead into the third period, but Prince George continued to press. McMillan felt urgency — or the lack of it — became a deciding factor as the game wore on.

“They looked like a team playing a playoff game,” he said. “We looked like a team just playing a game. When you’re chasing a team in the standings and there aren’t many games left, you want to see a little more bite and a little more urgency.”

The matchup had clear implications in the BC Division standings, something McMillan acknowledged afterward.

“These games are really important,” he said. “They’re four-point swings when you’re playing against a team like that. You want to have that edge when you see a team that’s ahead of you.”

Overtime was decided quickly. A missed opportunity at one end turned into a turnover, and Carels finished the play on a breakaway to end the game.

“Three-on-three is such a skills game,” McMillan said. “It’s hard to plan for. It comes down to who’s going to make the worst mistake. We had a short three-on-two that we didn’t execute, we turn the puck over, and they get a breakaway.”

Even in the loss, McMillan said there were lessons to take from the game.

“That’s something we can learn from tonight,” he said, referencing the Cougars’ structure and simplicity. “They played the game the right way, especially without the puck.”

The Rockets now turn their focus to Wednesday’s road game against the Western Conference-leading Everett Silvertips. McMillan said the matchup presents a good measuring stick.

“That’s a game we’ve got to be excited for,” he said. “We’re playing the top team in the West.

“We’ve got all of our guys, we’re healthy, and it’s going to be fun to go into that rink and see where we’re at.”