Red Deer Rebels goaltender Peyton Shore has emerged as a reliable option in the crease throughout his rookie season.
The Rebels entered the season with Chase Wutzke and Rhett Stoesser as the club's goaltending duo. In late November, Stoesser was traded to the Kelowna Rockets, which opened a path for the 16-year-old Shore to enter the Western Hockey League.
"When (Stoesser was traded) and we got Peyton in here, you could see he brings lots of energy and he works hard in practice," said Rebels head coach David Struch.
"He was put in a situation where he knew Wutzke was going to play the majority of the games, but he did everything he could daily to stay prepared and be ready for whenever his opportunity came. He's had success with that."
In 10 appearances with the Rebels this season, Shore has a 5-3 record with a .902 save percentage and 2.80 goals-against average.
"At the beginning, I felt like I had some good (games). I also had some learning games, where I needed to adjust and realize what I need to do to be successful in this league," said Shore, a Winnipeg, Man. who was Red Deer's fifth-round selection in the 2023 WHL Draft.
"(Ian Gordon), as the goalie coach, has been a massive help. He's helped me adjust to the level of play in the WHL and the speed. Overall, I think it's been good so far."
Wutzke recently suffered an injury, meaning Shore has been tasked with spending more time between the pipes for the Rebels. This includes a pair of victories on March 1 against Kelowna, when he faced off against former Rebels goaltender Stoesser, and March 4 against the Brandon Wheat Kings.
"With Chase out, we know Peyton is very reliable for us. The guys play really hard for him. It's just like having a starting goaltender in there," Struch said, adding there's no official timeline in place for Wutzke's return.
Matthew Kondro served as Red Deer's backup goaltender for Tuesday's game against the Wheat Kings.
The Red Deer Rebels are gearing up to host the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday, March 8. Red Deer currently ninth in the WHL's Eastern Conference, chasing the eighth-seed Broncos for the final playoff spot. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
"We're competing for a playoff spot right now. My goal is to do anything I can to help the team win," Shore said.
"I just want to take an opportunity that's given to me and do the best I can."
Red Deer also hosts the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday, March 7.
