It didn't take long for a capacity crowd of 5,307 to rise to their feet in the Penticton Vees' first-ever WHL home game.
Moments after league commissioner Dan Near delivered a speech at centre ice to formally welcome the community to major junior hockey, Vees forward Diego Johnson scored 12 seconds into the team's game against the Kelowna Rockets, sparking an extended roar from the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC).
Johnson's goal would turn out to be the start of a wild early-season battle, as Kelowna came back from a 3-0 deficit en route to a 5-4 win on Sept. 26.
Owen Folstrom scored the game-winning goal at 15:17 of the third period and Kayden Longley recorded a pair of assists for the Rockets (1-1-0-0), who used a three-goal final frame to stun Penticton in front of the largest attendance ever for a Vees game at the SOEC.
Rockets goaltender Josh Banini made 32 saves.
Jesse Sanche, a Kelowna native and Okanagan Hockey Academy graduate, stopped 17 shots for Penticton (1-2-0-0).
Johnson's early goal was his first of two on the night. Ryden Evers and Jacob Kvasnicka also scored for the Vees.
Kelowna got goals from Jacob Henderson and former Vees BCHL forward Hiroki Gojsic. Tomas Poletin also scored twice, before Folstrom's winner on the power play.
The much-anticipated showdown saw a record hockey crowd file into the SOEC, as the Vees were forced to release limited standing-room-only tickets less than 48 hours before puck drop due to the high demand.
"It's the biggest crowd I've ever seen in three years here," Vees captain Nolan Stevenson said after the first period, when his team was leading 2-0.
Stevenson, who received among the loudest ovations during the home opener player introductions, was named captain of the expansion club after spending parts of the last two seasons with Penticton's BCHL franchise.
A pre-game ceremony preceded festivities on the ice, as Near was joined on the ice by Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield and Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel.
"This community has a proud hockey tradition and you are part of a new era," Near told the sold-out crowd before puck drop. "Tonight, we ignite the new rivalry in the Okanagan. Penticton, welcome to the WHL, and good luck."
Kelowna, the hosts of this season's Memorial Cup, will meet Penticton five more times in the 2025-2026 regular season, starting Saturday night (Sept. 27) at Prospera Place.
The Okanagan rivals' rematch is set for 6 p.m. All WHL games can be streamed for free online at Victory+.
