In a hard-fought battle at the InnovationPlex on Saturday, January 10, the Red Deer Rebels dug deep to edge the Swift Current Broncos 3-2 in overtime, picking up their third win in four nights amid a gruelling road schedule and a fresh roster shakeup ahead of the WHL trade deadline. Defenceman Noah Chadi, fresh off signing his WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement, opened the scoring at 15:17 of the first with an unassisted shot from the point that slipped through traffic. Red Deer doubled the lead midway through the second when Nate Yellowaga wired home a one-timer off a slick setup from Cameron Kuzma and Landon MacSwain after a gritty board battle in the Broncos’ end. Swift Current refused to fold, clawing back with Anthony Wilson’s eighth of the season late in the second and Hudson Darby’s ninth early in the third during a five-minute major power play—both assisted by former Rebel Trae Wilke. With the game knotted at 2-2 after three, Beckett Hamilton settled things 3:56 into the extra frame, pouncing on a neutral-zone turnover and roofing a backhand on a breakaway for his 13th goal of the year and third in the last two contests. Matthew Kondro stood tall in the Red Deer net, turning aside 22 of 24 shots, while Archer Cooke kept the Broncos in it with 37 saves on 40 attempts in a game where Red Deer held a commanding 40-24 shots advantage. The victory gives the Rebels four points from their eastern swing and improves them to 13-21-2-2, while the Broncos fall to 0-1-2-0 against Red Deer this season. Up next, the Rebels wrap their four-game road trip Wednesday in Lethbridge before returning home for a weekend set at the Marchant Crane Centrium.
Noah Chadi gets his second goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game at 15:17 ot the first period after Broncos netminder Archer Cooke attempted to clear it but passed it right to Chadi.–Right near the end of the first, Cooke tries to play it off the glass, Chadi reads it like a book, picks it off, and just wires it past him. Boom — Red Deer draws first blood.
Shots on goal in the first period were 14-11 for the Rebels
Nate Yellowaga made it a 2-0 game snipping one from the slot at 12:24 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Cameron Kuzma and Landon MacSwain.–The Rebels weren’t done yet — they rolled that first-period energy right into the middle frame. Cameron Kuzma dished a beauty to Nate Yellowaga, who was coiled and ready, ripped into the one-timer, and doubled Red Deer’s advantage!
20 year old Swift Current native Anthony Wilson gets the Broncos on the board at 16:55 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to former Rebel Trae Wilke and former Victoria Grizzly 20 year old Trae Johnson.–Former Rebel Trae Wilke helped set up Anthony Wilson on the doorstep to cut the lead in half.
Shots on goal in the second period were 13-5 for the Rebels.
Former Portland Winterhawk Hudson Darby makes it a tie game at 8:18 of the third period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Trae Wilke and former Seattle Thunderbird Hyde Davidson. Darby himself is also from Swift Current. Both the Broncos goals have been scored by local products.–In the third, the Broncos pulled even on the power play, as Hudson Darby snapped one home from the slot.
Shots on goal in the third period was 11-8 for the Rebels.
Beckett Hamilton outhustled the Broncos beat them all and went down and scored the overtime winner at 3:56 of overtime to win the game. The assist on the goal went to the Captain Talon Brigley who was playing in his 300th game as a Rebel.–Then Beckett Hamilton said “not today.” Brigley chips it out, races for the loose puck, Hamilton pulls away from the Broncos defenders, goes backhand low on Cooke — game over! 3-2 overtime win for Red Deer, and that’s Hamilton’s third goal in just two games. Kid’s on fire.
Shots on goal in overtime were 2-0 for the Rebels. The Rebels outshot the Broncos 40-24 in the game.
Matthew Kondro made 22 saves on the 24 shots that he faced for the win for the Rebels. For the Broncos Calgary native and former Drayton Valley Thunder goalie Archer Cooke made 37 saves on the 40 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Anthony Wilson 2) Archer Cooke 3) Matthew Kondro. Obviously chosen by someone in Swift Current.
Attendance in Swift Current was 2311
Rebels next game is Wednesday January 14th in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes.
