Kelowna Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger joins hockey Panthers

The goaltender who led the Kelowna Rockets to a Western Hockey League (WHL) title and the championship game of the 2009 Memorial Cup will be playing for the UPEI men's hockey team this fall.

Forbes (Forbie) MacPherson, head coach for the hockey Panthers said, 'Mark Guggenberger comes to our program with a wealth of experience and a proven track record, which includes a WHL championship on his resume.'

Guggenberger played three seasons in the Western Hockey League beginning with the Swift Current Broncos in 2007-08. He was traded to Kelowna in early 2009 and led the Rockets to the WHL title and into the championship game of the 2009 Memorial Cup tournament only to lose 4-1 to the Taylor Hall-led Windsor Spitfires.

'Forbie called me and I hadn't been thinking about playing university hockey,' the 6'3', 208-lb goaltender said. 'But the more I thought about it, I saw it as a good option for now and down the road. I don't know a lot about the CIS other than having a few friends playing at schools like Manitoba and U of A,' he added.

Earlier this summer, UPEI goaltender Wayne Savage left UPEI to pursue a professional career. That void is now filled according to MacPherson. 'Quality goaltending is the backbone of any successful program. We believe that by having Mark, along with Jhase Sniderman, our goaltending is in very capable hands.'

Guggenberger, who is from Richfield, Minnesota, was injured for a large part of last season. 'I sat out the first half with a sports hernia and didn't skate for seven months. It was hard to restart things halfway through the season but we finished on a high and made it to the second round of the play-offs with a young team. I really look forward to going to UPEI and hopefully win a national championship,' Guggenberger said.

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Contact:

Forbes (Forbie) MacPherson
Head Coach, Men's Hockey
University of Prince Edward Island
T (902) 388-0169