RED DEER, Alta. – The Red Deer Rebels snapped a frustrating nine-game losing streak with a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday night in front of 4,138 fans at the Peavey Mart Centrium, breathing new life into the season thanks to a revamped lineup. Newly acquired players Kalder Varga, Poul Andersen, Matej Mikes, and tryout defenceman Noah Chadi (with his first WHL goal) all lit the lamp, while captain Talon Brigley added an empty-netter to seal it and tie a club record with his 297th game. Peyton Shore turned aside 33 shots despite Seattle’s 36-24 shot advantage, as the Rebels overcame travel-weary legs and the absence of Beckett Hamilton to illness – plus key forward Samuel Drancak, who’s representing Czechia at the World Juniors and suiting up in today’s semi-final showdown against Canada. The victory, Red Deer’s first over Seattle since 2015, pulls them to 11-20-2-2 and just one point shy of a playoff spot. Coach Marc Habscheid called it a much-needed gut-check win to kickstart the post-holiday push, with three road games looming this week starting Wednesday in Brandon.
Brock England scores to make it a 1-0 Thunderbirds just 26 seconds into the game. The assist on the goal went to Whitecourt, Alberta native Tai Riley.– The Thunderbirds found the back of the net just 26 seconds into the first period, scored by Red Deer’s own Brock England. The 16-year-old forward has 31 points in 31 games this season.
Matej Mikes ties the game up for the Rebels at 5:44 of the first period with the assists on the goal going to Graydon Peterson and Landon MacSwain.–Matej Mikes responded five minutes later for the Rebels as he knocked home a rebound from Grayden Peterson’s shot for his fourth of the campaign to tie the game at 1-1.
Kalder Varga gave the Rebels the 2-1 lead in his first game as a Rebel at 12:12 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Talon Brigley and Aleksey Chichkin.-With under eight minutes left in the opening frame, Rebels Kalder Varga, who was acquired in a trade with the Kelowna Rockets on Friday, scored his first goal as a Rebel.
Shots on goal in the first period were tied at 9 apiece.
Calgary native Brendan Rudolph ties the game up for the Thunderbirds at 4:07 of the second period. The helper on the goal went to Brock England.–Seattle evened the score when Brendan Rudolph slid home a rebound off an England shot at 4:07 of period two for his ninth of the season.
Poul Andersen gives the Rebels a 3-2 lead on the Power Play at 13:01 of the second period with the assists on the goal went to Patrick Sopiarz and Landon MacSwain.–With 6:59 left, Red Deer restored their lead with a goal from newcomer Poul Andersen on the power play. The 18-year-old forward from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, was acquired by Red Deer from the Edmonton Oil Kings last week. He has 18 points in 32 games.
Shots on goal in the second period were 14-7 for Seattle
Marcus Laraque, the son of Georges Laraque tied the game up for the Thunderbirds at 1:22 of the third period with the helper on the goal going to former Calgary Hitmen Sawyer Mayes.– Trailing by a goal entering the final period, the T-Birds got an early tying goal at 1:22 from Marcus Laraque, another goal scored off a rebound in front of the Red Deer net. The goal was the second of the season for Laraque, assisted by Sawyer Mayers.
Noah Chadi scored the game winning goal at 6:00 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to Matej Mikes.–Noah Chadi scored his first in the WHL to put the Rebels back up 4-3, as his left point shot took a deflection in front and found the back of the net.
Talon Brigley fired the puck into the empty net at 18:29 of the third period unassisted to make it a 5-3 game for the Rebels.
Shots on goal in the third period were 13-8 for the Thunderbirds. Seattle outshot the Rebels 36-24 in the game
Peyton Shore made 33 saves on the 36 shots he faced for the win for the Rebels. For the Thunderbirds Saskatoon native Grayson Malinoski made 19 saves on the 23 shots he faced.
Three Stars of the game 1) Matej Mikes 2) Brock England 3) Kalder Varga
Attendance in Red Deer was 4138
Rebels next game is Wednesday January 7th against the Brandon Wheat Kings in Brandon.
Red Deer Rebels captain Talon Brigley is on the cusp of making franchise history as he closes in on the all-time record for regular-season games played. The durable 20-year-old forward has suited up for over 300 games with the Rebels heading into 2026, sitting just a handful away from surpassing the current mark after playing in nearly every contest this season. In the original conversation, Brigley tied Andrew Bergen for second on the list at 297 games, and barring injury, he’s poised to break the outright record in the coming weeks during the team’s upcoming road swing or early home stands. It’s a fitting milestone for the longtime Rebel who’s been a cornerstone of the lineup in his overage year.
