(Taylor Lachance/Red Deer Rebels)

By Ian Gustafson

In the win column

Rebels edge Broncos 3-1 at Centrium

Nov 1, 2025 | 6:11 PM

The Red Deer Rebels halted a two-game losing skid with a bounce-back 3-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos.

In front of 3,197 fans at the Centrium on Saturday afternoon, the game came down to the wire with the Broncos pushing to tie it, but the Rebels had a strong defensive stand and netted an empty net goal.

Head coach Marc Habscheid said he liked his team’s effort.

“Half of our roster has been sick for quite some time. We lost two guys relatively early and found a way to get the job done,” Habscheid said. “I loved our start; we carried the play, and you could tell we were running out of gas at the end. We found a way to get it done.”

Landon MacSwain, Samuel Drancak, and Beckett Hamilton all found the back of the net for the Rebels. Offensively, Red Deer led the way in shots, 39-24 and defensively, they were also strong, according to Habscheid. In the first period, the Rebels outshot their opponents 20-5.

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“Our structure for the most part was good… Like I said, they were a little tired and fatigued with the numbers and the health,” he added. “They found a way, and they dug in. That was kind of the theme today about being grateful for what we have and facing adversity. Our adversity is nothing compared to some people in this world, and we’ve got to remember that… The guys played like that; they played with determination.”

The Rebels scored first with 11:06 left in the opening period. After forward Kohen Lodge was stopped on a breakaway attempt, he gathered the puck behind the net and fed forward Beckett Hamilton, who was left open on the right side of the net. He fired it into the back of the net.

Late in the first period, Rebels forward Matthew Gard was handed a 5-minute penalty and a game misconduct for a hit to the head on Broncos forward Anthony Wilson.

Rebels added to their lead just under four minutes into the second period when Landon MacSwain jumped on a big rebound in front of the net. The puck bounced out front after a hard shot from defenceman Aleksey Chichkin.

The Broncos finally got on the board with 4:08 remaining in the second period off the stick of Parker Rondeau.

However, despite a big push from the Broncos late in the game, Drancak sealed the deal with an empty net goal.

Rookie netminder Matthew Kondro also had a big night with 23 saves of his own.

“He’s calm in there and makes saves. He just oozes confidence; he’s a really quiet, unassuming kid. He just goes about his business, and that’s the way he plays,” Habscheid added.

Next up, the Rebels will head to Edmonton to take on the Oil Kings on Wednesday at 7 p.m.