Rebels capture OT victory over Wheat Kings
RED DEER – When the Red Deer Rebels needed a hero, Beckett Hamilton answered the call.
After the Brandon Wheat Kings scored the game tying goal late in the third period, the Rebels’ leading scorer came through in overtime for a 3-2 win and another crucial two points.
The win came on a night where the Marchant Crane Centrium was alive with capes and courage for Re/Max Presents: Be a Superhero for Children’s Miracle Network.
Matej Mikes was the first hero to step up, scoring twice to keep the Rebels in the fight. Between the pipes, Matthew Kondro was the quiet guardian.
“I think we played a real kind of structured game. Guys maybe were a little bit too careful, but were trying to do the right things,” said Rebels head coach Marc Habscheid.
“We’re trying to win, and at this point in time it doesn’t matter what it looks like.”
With the victory, the Rebels regained control of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, taking two crucial points while sweeping the season series over Brandon 3-1.
Stats Story:
Matej Mikes (RD) – 2 goals
Matthew Kondro (RD) – 39 saves, win
Beckett Hamilton (RD) – 1 goal, overtime winner
How it Happened:
Brandon lit the lamp first as Caleb Hadland collected a drop pass from Brett Wilson and sent a clean shot past Kondr late in the opening frame.
Less than a minute into period two, Matej Mikes took control inside the Wheat Kings zone, looping behind the net before cutting back up to the bottom of the circle and snapped a shot upstairs to tie the game.
MATEJ MIKES, PICKS A CORNER!🎯@Rebelshockey pic.twitter.com/wFOXnChPXe
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 14, 2026
Minutes later, shorthanded, Mikes struck again. Charging into the zone, he fired on Filip Ruzicka. The Wheat Kings goal swiped with his glove but couldn’t catch it, and Mikes followed his own shot to poke it home off the post for his second goal.
OOPS… HE DID IT AGAIN.
Matej Mikes, back to back, and this one's short-handed!👀@Rebelshockey pic.twitter.com/2gAqCDJXq9
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 14, 2026
Late in the third, with two minutes to play and the Wheat Kings net empty for an extra attacker, Jaxon Jacobson pulled Brandon even with a high shot from along the goal line, setting the stage for overtime heroics.
In the opening minute of extra time, Poul Andersen held the puck along the boards before feeding Hamilton as he entered the zone. Hamilton unleashed a pinpoint shot to capture the overtime victory.
BECKETT HAMILTON: OVERTIME HERO🦸@Rebelshockey | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/R9Hd7S6ebE
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 14, 2026
No superhero story is complete without a quiet guardian. Kondro was that hero in the crease, turning aside 39 shots to keep the Rebels’ playoff hopes alive, while Ruzicka stopped 24 of Red Deer’s best chances. Powerplays tested both sides, Brandon went 0-for-4, while Red Deer went 0-for-2.
Brandt Three Stars:
1. Matthew Kondro (RD)
2. Matej Mikes (RD)
3. Jaxon Jacobson (BDN)
What They Said:
Marc Habscheid
Matthew Kondro
Notes:
Beckett Hamilton (3G, 6A) and Poul Anderson (3G, 4A) each has points in six-straight … Kohen Lodge has points in four-straight (3G-2A) … Scratches for this one include Aleksey Chichkin (upper) and Tyson Yaremko (upper) … The night wasn’t just about hockey. The Rebels donned specialty jerseys and capes that were auctioned off during the first period to support the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network Champions, giving fans a chance to become real-life heroes alongside their on-ice favorites.
Next up:
The Rebels are right back in action as the they take on the Calgary Hitmen once more at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 14 at the Marchant Crane Centrium (TICKETS)
