(Red Deer Rebels/Taylor Lachance)

By Ian Gustafson

Return from Christmas

Rebels show fight after slow start but lose 3-2 in OT

Dec 27, 2025 | 9:26 PM

The Red Deer Rebels fought until the end, but ultimately fell 3-2 in overtime to the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday night.

In front of 4,560 fans at the Centrium, the Rebels’ second-most attended home game this season, they held a lead in the third period, but the Oil Kings scored to send it to overtime and again in the extra frame to steal the victory.

Head coach Marc Habscheid said the team got better as the game went on. Following an alright first period, Habscheid felt the Rebels improved in the second and third periods.

“I thought we were on our toes in the third and probably deserved a better result,” he said after the game. “I didn’t think we got inside in the first two periods. I thought we had a few shots, but they weren’t too dangerous. In the third, we started to get inside a little bit more and create more offence.”

Rebels goaltender Matthew Kondro was named the first star of the game with 27 saves on 30 shots. Meantime, forwards Landon MacSwain and Nolan Schmidt scored for the Rebels.

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

3h ago

eyes up

Air Spray training around Red Deer Regional Airport

3h ago

Prevention, Access, Recovery, and Coordination

Safe Harbour officially hands over shelter keys, establishes accessible navigation hub

21h ago

Schmidt’s goal was his first of the 2025-26 campaign and his first since March 7, 2025, of last season.

He said it felt amazing to score.

“After I scored, I was just screaming ‘that felt so good’ with all the guys in the huddle, so that’s definitely a big monkey, and it feels really good to get that one off,” Schmidt said.

The Oil Kings scored the lone goal of the first period with less than five minutes remaining. Forward Lukas Sawchyn buried an opportunity in the slot off a pass from behind the net by Gavin Hodnett.

After a scoreless second period, the Rebels found the equalizer in the third period.

Just over four and a half minutes in, Nolan Schmidt scored his first goal of the season off the assist by Grayden Peterson.

Schmidt credited his teammate for his great vision in the offensive zone and for getting him the puck off the turnover.

“I talked to Petey, and he said he didn’t see me, but I was screaming for it, and he got it to me… I just finished the job,” he said.

The Rebels then took their first lead of the game 1:39 seconds later. Forward Landon MacSwain tipped a Matthew Gard shot into the back of the net while screening the goaltender.

Edmonton, however, tied the game 2-2 with eight minutes remaining in the contest. Edmonton’s Dylan Dean fed Parker Alcos near the left side of the net, who just snuck it past the outstretched goaltender.

In overtime, Oil Kings’ Miroslav Holinka fired a shot that tricked up and over Kondro before entering the net. Multiple Rebels defenders dived to stop the puck before it crossed the line, but were unsuccessful.

Schmidt explained the team got off to a slow start, which he said is to be expected after returning from the Christmas break. However, he thought the team’s third period was amazing.

“If we could play like that for three periods, I think we are a pretty dangerous team.”

The Rebels will now take on the Medicine Hat Tigers on the road, who’ve won 11 straight games on Sunday at 4 p.m.

They will then host the Tigers on Tuesday, December 30, at the Centrium at 7 p.m.

“They are on a pretty hot streak right now, and we’ve just got to come with the mentality that we are killers, and we want to kill that streak,” Schmidt added. “We want to outcompete them and outbattle them in every aspect of the game.”