Rebels muscle past Hitmen for 4-3 win
RED DEER – The game plan came together perfectly for the Red Deer Rebels Sunday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome, as they imposed their physical presence from the opening puck drop and skated away with a hard-earned 4-3 victory over the Calgary Hitmen.
The chemistry between linemates Beckett Hamilton and Landon MacSwain was on full display as both notched a goal and an assist. Matthew Gard and Aleksey Chichkin chipped in with big goals of their own to cap a balanced Rebels attack.
With the win, the Rebels improve to 9-12-1-2 on the season and move into eighth place in the WHL Eastern Conference.
Stats Story
Beckett Hamilton, Landon MacSwain (RD) – 1 goal, 1 assist each
Kale Dach (CGY) – 2 goals
Matthew Kondro (RD) – 17 saves, win
How it Happened
The first 10 minutes introduced what kind of day it was going to be with goals, grit and physicality setting the tone.
A turnover opened the door for the Rebels first strike. Owen DeWitt jumped on the loose puck and slid a perfect feed across to Matthew Gard, who stared down an open net behind Calgary’s goaltender, Aidan Hesse, and made no mistake for his sixth goal of the year. Dewitt earned his first WHL point with the assist.
MATTHEW GARD!!! His sixth of the season makes it 1-0 for the @Rebelshockey @NHLFlyers | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/RvNX96Kg5u
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 30, 2025
Minutes later, defenceman Aleksey Chichkin jumped into the rush with Jaxon Fuder and received a perfect pass on the doorstep to bury his first of the season, and with the Rebels, putting Red Deer up 2-0.
ALEKSEY CHICHKIN! AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM! 💪
2-0 @Rebelshockey pic.twitter.com/dC9Up2QQno
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 30, 2025
The Rebels weren’t done. Beckett Hamilton entered the zone with Talon Brigley on a two-man push. Brigley’s pass to Hamilton produced a crafty backhand deflection, and Hamilton followed his own rebound to tap it past Hesse. That would spell the end of Hesse’s afternoon as the Hitmen turned to Eric Tu in relief.
BECKETT HAMILTON!! Buries his 10th of the season to make it 3-0 @Rebelshockey | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/odHEjlEj30
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 30, 2025
Calgary broke through 25 seconds later when Kale Dach slipped one past Kondro.
Andrei Molgachev capitalized on a penalty shot less than a minute later to bring the Hitmen within one.
Red Deer responded in the second as right after laying down a crushing hit in the corner, MacSwain got a stick on a pass from Hamilton, deflecting it home for what would stand as the game-winner.
LANDON MACSWAIN!!! Tips one in and makes it a two goal lead for @Rebelshockey pic.twitter.com/e6kfDNs6Uj
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 30, 2025
Calgary pressed late as Dach added his second with 35 seconds left in regulation, but the Rebels held firm to skate away with a 4-3 victory.
Red Deer dictated the pace for most of the night, firing 30 shots at the Calgary netminding duo, while Kondro stood tall at the other end, facing 20 shots. The Rebels went 0-for-3 on the powerplay, while the Hitmen’s only “powerplay” marker came via the penalty shot – with Red Deer shutting them down on their two traditional man-advantage opportunities.
Brandt Three Stars
1. Beckett Hamilton (RD)
2. Kale Dach (CGY)
3. Aleksey Chichkin (RD)
Notes
Hamilton’s point streak continued to nine games with a two-point afternoon (6G 7A) … Samuel Drancak has points in 12 of 13 games (8G 8 A) with his assist on Chichkin’s goal … Scratches for the game were defenceman Nikolas Ferry and forwards Grayden Peterson, Nolan Schmidt and Owen Shadrick … The Rebels finish November with a 5-3-1-0 record.
Next up
The Rebels head into Lethbridge on Wednesday, December 3 to take on the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena (106.7 REWIND Radio, Victory+).
