The Kelowna Rockets' comeback came up just a little short Friday night.
Joshua Ravensbergen put up a wall in the dying minutes as the Rockets pulled out all the stops, but were unable to complete the comeback in a 3-2 loss to the visiting Prince Goerge Cougars before 4,000 fans at Prospera Place.
The Rockets had some chances but Ravensbergen stood tall when it counted, stopping 31 shots in the victory.
For the second time in three games this week the Rockets opened the scoring, this time courtesy of Levi Benson.
The diminutive forward grabbed the puck at centre ice and, after two Cougars collided, went in all alone, deking Ravensbergen to the backhand.
But as was the case in Victoria, they were unable to build on it.
Borya Valis tied it with his team-leading 26th before the period was over then Terik Parascak on a power play and Riley Heidt gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead heading into the third.
Heidt assisted on Parascak’s goal – the 236th of Heidt’s WHL career, which broke the Cougars’ Prince George/Victoria all-time record of 235 held by Prince George native Mark Morrison, who played for the Victoria Cougars from 1979-83.
Dawson Gerwing made it a 3-2 game on a Rockets’ power play, 9:32 into the third period, deftly deflecting a waist-high point shot from Will Sharpe.
Despite some chances, the Rockets were unable to find the equalizer.
Jake Pilon suffered the loss, turning aside 26 shots.
Ravensbergen picked up his 25th win of the season, second-most in the WHL.
The Rockets (16-28-4-1) have now dropped nine in a row, equalling a club record set on two other occasions.
The Cougars (29-15-4-2) finish off their three-game roadtrip Saturday in Kamloops against a Blazer team that lost 5-1 on home ice Friday to the Everett Silvertips.
