Rhett Stoesser (left) and Kyle Kelsey have combined for 13 wins in 13 games so far this WHL season. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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Rebels’ netminders, stalwarts through record win streak, share WHL monthly honours

Nov 2, 2022 | 5:07 PM

The modern day win streak to start a WHL season record holders — the Red Deer Rebels — are in the spotlight even between games this week.

Rebels goalies Kyle Kelsey and Rhett Stoesser are co-winners of the WHL Goaltender(s) of the Month award, typically given to just one netminder.

The pair have combined to give the Rebels 13 straight wins to begin the 2022-23 season. Over that time, they’ve surrendered a meager 22 goals.

What’s more is neither of them played a single WHL game coming into the season.

Over the 18-year-old Kelsey’s eight starts, he has a 1.87 GAA and .936 SV%, including a 26-save shutout against Lethbridge. The Maple Ridge, B.C. native has stopped 221 of 236 shots faced.

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He was also named to the CHL Team of the Month.

“I definitely believe in myself. It was a very hard-working summer in order to give myself the best chance to perform this way,” says Kelsey, who played 28 games last season with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies.

“It’s easy to let a goal against get into your head. I’ve had a couple starts where I let in a couple goals on only a few shots, and I look up at the scoreboard and it doesn’t feel great. But I just clear my head and trust my team, and I do trust them 100 per cent to get those goals back for me. So far, they have.”

Kelsey arrives at the rink at 3:30 each game day, heads to the stands, performs visualization exercises, puts the AirPods in, and does ball work.

“The playlist has to be the exact same every time,” he says. “Up until now, my defense has been blocking shots and keeping pucks outside. Sometimes one gets inside and there’s the odd breakaway, but that’s what keeps it fun for me.”

The former Burnaby Winter Club member also doesn’t look at the standings, preferring to not think about how every team automatically has a worse record when his team is undefeated.

“Every team has the full possibility of beating us. If you go in with any other mindset, bad things are likelier to happen.”

Kelsey was selected by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the fifth round of the 2019 WHL Draft, then acquired by the Rebels in May 2022.

Meantime, Stoesser, just 17, has been a stalwart as backup, or option 1B, with a 1.40 GAA and .934 SV%, stopping 99 of 106 pucks fired his way.

Stoesser, of Carstairs, AB origins, was signed by Red Deer this September.

“Having a great team in front of us make it a lot easier. Here, we are expected to make a lot of saves,” says Stoesser, who was minding the net for the U18 AAA Airdrie Bisons in the spring.

“You’ve just got to make them to keep your team in the game. You never know which save can lead to your team going the other way and scoring. Our goalie coach, Ian Gordon, is really good with setting our mindset right, so when we do get in the game, we’re ready for anything.”

Stoesser says the main difference between the Western Hockey League and U18 AAA is the puck-handling, necessitating faster movements around the crease.

He also credits the fans.

“It’s pretty surreal,” he admits. “We’ll be on the bus and they’ll be honking at us, so yeah, they’re pretty loyal.”

Head Coach Steve Konowalchuk also spoke to rdnewsNOW Wednesday, proclaiming the trust he has in his goalies.

“They’ve earned my respect. I’m proud of all our guys who take care of both ends of the ice, but there’ll be times when we’re down a man or there are breakdowns, and the goalies need to be able to come up with a save at the right time. I see it in practice too,” he says. “Their work ethic translates into each game.”

As for how the rotation will continue, Konowalchuk is uncertain.

“I don’t know yet. I’ve got to be honest. It’ll play itself out. It’s healthy competition, and it’s nice to know we got two guys if we need them to give us a chance to win. Those two will dictate how it goes.”

At the end of the day, Stoesser and Kelsey agree that being an integral part of the Rebels’ historic run is special.

“It’s huge. It hasn’t fully sank in yet, but it’ll be something I can tell the kids about in a couple years,” Kelsey laughs. “Or maybe a couple more than that.”

Kelsey, Stoesser and the Rebels will try to extend their record win streak on Friday, November 4 when they visit the 5-7-0-0 Swift Current Broncos.