Rebels season ends in overtime heartbreaker

PRINCE ALBERT – The Red Deer Rebels left it all on the ice at the Art Hauser Centre on Good Friday, pushing the Prince Albert Raiders to overtime in a 4-3 thriller.

Despite a valiant effort, the top team in the east ultimately prevailed as the Raiders the Rebels’ season to a close.

Matthew Kondro once again proved himself a gamer with a stellar goaltending performance. Beckett Hamilton opened the scoring, Kohen Lodge kept the Rebels within striking distance, and Nate Yellowaga’s late third-period goal forced the game into extra time.

Prince Albert wins the series four games to one and are off round two.

Stats Story:

Matthew Kondro (RD) – 48 saves

Brock Cripps (PA) – 1 goal, 2 assists

Kohen Lodge (RD) – 1 goal, 1 assist

How it Happened:

Game 5 wasted no time finding its edge. Brock Cripps jumped into the rush from the blue line and buried the opener past Matthew Kondro, giving Prince Albert an early lead at the Art Hauser Centre just over five minutes in.

The Rebels answered late in the opening frame. Kalder Varga pushed the pace into the Raiders’ zone and slid a pass to Beckett Hamilton, who made no mistake lifting a backhand past Michal Orsulak to even the score at one.

Hamilton makes it count. #RDREBELS #WHLPlayoffs #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/gRPE5dELYr

— X-Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) April 4, 2026

The Raiders regained control in the second. Owen Corkish found his spot and picked the corner to restore the lead, before Linden Burrett capitalized on a two-on-one late in the period to extend it to 3-1.

But the Rebels didn’t let it slip. Varga drive the zone once again and found Kohen Lodge who ripped a shot home to pull Red Deer back within one before the break.

Snipe city! Lodge delivers goal #2. #RDREBELS #WHLPlayoffs #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/EHR0oPOXAV

— X-Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) April 4, 2026

Down 3-2 entering the third, the Rebels leaned in. Shift by shift, they pushed for a response – and found it when it mattered most. With the net empty and time winding down, Nate Yellowaga fired a puck from the boards that deflected off a Raider and into the net, silencing the building and forcing overtime.

Yellowaga finds the net. #RDREBELS #WHLPlayoffs #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/V6pEcVD5Yj

— X-Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) April 4, 2026

Just over two minutes in, Brandon Gorzynski found a loose puck and wrapped it home to bring the game – and the Rebels season – to a close.

Kondro was a constant throughout, turning aside 48 shots in a standout performance. At the other end, Orsulak made 20 saves.

Played nearly entirely at five-on-five, neither side found a breakthrough on special teams. Prince Albert went 0-for-2 on the powerplay, while Red Deer did not have a man advantage. The Raiders finished with a 52-23 edge in shots.

Brandt Three Stars 

1. Brock Cripps (PA)

2. Brandon Gorzynski (PA)

3. Linden Burrett (PA)

Notes:

Matthew Kondro registered 170 saves throughout the five-game series for a .895 save-percentage (Orsulak finished at .891) … Rebels scratches for the game were Noah Chadi, Poul Andersen, Cole Temple, and Matej Mikes, along with affiliate players Chace Turchak and Nolan Wolitski … Cash Arcand-Vandale made his WHL Playoffs debut … Attendance at the Art Hauser Centre was 3,134 … Congratulations to the Red Deer Rebels graduating players: Talon Brigley, Aleksey Chichkin and Tyson Yaremko who each played their final WHL game on Friday.

Next up:

See you next season!