Rebels fall 5-1 to Hitmen

RED DEER – Friday night’s battle between the Red Deer Rebels and Calgary Hitmen was a grind-it-out affair eventually ending in a 5-1 decision in favour of Calgary.

Tyson Yaremko accounted for Red Deer’s lone goal, while Matthew Kondro battled all night in the Rebels crease.

With the loss, the Rebels move to 16-23-2-2 on the season as they embark on a six-game trip through the B.C. Division.

STATS STORY:

Julien Maze (CGY) – 1 goal, 2 assists

Wyatt Pisarczyk (CGY) – 1 goal, 1 assist

Matthew Kondro (RD) – 36 saves

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Sparks flew early as Beckett Hamilton and Tyson Yaremko teamed up to open the scoring. With the Rebels on the powerplay, Hamilton snapped a shot on Calgary netminder, Aidan Hesse, and Yaremko was parked at the doorstep to get his stick on it, redirecting home Red Deer’s lone marker of the night.

Powerplay magic! 🪄#RDREBELS #WHL https://t.co/FB5aUQIG95

— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) January 24, 2026

The Hitmen responded exactly five minutes later when Ethan Moore tucked the pack past the outstretched toe of Matthew Kondro to even the score.

Just 43 seconds after that, Calgary struck on a power play as Andrei Molgachev fired from the bottom of the circle, giving the Hitmen a 2-1 edge.

The only goal of the middle frame came from Blake Vanek, who got a piece of Calder Hamilton’s point shot to extend Calgary’s lead.

Wyatt Pisarczyk added the fourth marker, with a shot through traffic from the point and Julien Maze sealed the outcome with an empty-netter, closing out a 5-1 decision in favour of Calgary.

Kondro was busy between the pipes, facing 42 shots, while the Rebels put 36 pucks on Hesse.

Both sides finished the night 1-for-4 on the powerplay.

BRANDT THREE STARS:

Aidan Hesse (CGY)

Matthew Kondro (RD)

Julien Maze (CGY)

WHAT THEY SAID:

Head Coach Marc Habscheid

NOTES:

Rebels scratches for the game were forwards Cole Temple (lower) and Grayden Peterson … Beckett Hamilton has points in seven straight (6G, 3A) … Yaremko now has four goals and three assists in five games with the Rebels since being acquired from Portland.

NEXT UP:

The mountains are calling and the Red Deer Rebels are answering with a six-game road trip into BC, starting with the first stop in Penticton to play the Vees on Sunday, January 25 at 5 p.m. MT (106.7 Rewind/Victory+).