Courier: Guggs coming back
r By Larry Fisher – Kelowna Daily Courier
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r Mark Guggenberger can‘t wait to get back in goal. Fortunately, the wait is almost over.
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r The 20-year-old netminder, who hasn‘t played since May 24th when he allowed three goals on three shots in last season‘s Memorial Cup final loss, is slated to start at some point during the Kelowna Rockets‘ East Division road trip, which starts Tuesday night in Swift Current against the Broncos (16-14-0-2).
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r Guggenberger, who was dealt to Kelowna from Swift Current at last season‘s Jan. 10 trade deadline, didn‘t expect to face his former team, but said he‘s excited to make his season debut in the coming days.
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r “I‘m still kinda day-to-day, but I‘m definitely getting closer,” said Guggenberger, who‘s been sidelined 29 weeks with groin-related injuries suffered in last season‘s playoffs. “I‘m feeling a lot better than even last year, and before the (hernia) surgery (in October).
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r “Any time you have to sit out the first half of the season, it‘s not fun. So I‘m just chomping at the bit here, and can‘t wait to get back.”
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r It‘s been a long and winding road to recovery for Guggenberger, who took time to reflect as Kelowna‘s bus rolled through Strathmore, Alta., en route to Swift Current on Sunday.
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r The fact his last start was a forgettable one only made the wait more difficult.
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r But Guggenberger insists he‘s moved on from that Memorial Cup downer, and is focused on finishing his junior career on a high note.
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r “It‘s really tough, having that kind of a game in that situation,” he said of watching the Windsor Spitfires prevail 4-1 in the 2009 national championship game in Rimouski, Que. “But I‘ve definitely put it behind me.
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r “Getting back in there, it‘ll help a lot of things, just my confidence and the confidence of all the guys around the room, too.”
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r Guggenberger has been the forgotten man this season.
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r The Rockets (15-15-1-0) have forged ahead in his absence, with 18-year-old Adam Brown emerging as Kelowna‘s go-to goalie. Brown has started 29 of 31 games to date, logging 1,728 minutes to backup Chad Ketting‘s 139. In doing so, Brown has surpassed his total playing time from last season when he served as Guggenberger‘s backup (1,514 minutes).
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r Now, Guggenberger has his work cut out for him, trying to re-establish himself as the team‘s top netminder.
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r “I don‘t know if I can win it back completely,” Guggenberger said of the starting job. “(Brown‘s) proved himself this year; he‘s played really well. We might just end up splitting, and I‘m fine with that.
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r “It‘s a really good thing for a team to have . . . two goalies that can start on any given night.”
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r Guggenberger is no stranger to the platoon system, having accepted that role in Swift Current before getting traded to Kelowna.
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r “It worked pretty well there,” Guggenberger said. “I‘ll be ready to play whenever I get the call. I‘m not too worried if it‘s two games in a row, or if I sit for three.
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r “It‘s just a matter of working hard in practice and making sure your head‘s ready.”
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r Ideally, Guggenberger will have a similar impact to last season in his return to the lineup. The Rockets were 25-17 when they acquired Guggenberger, who replaced Kris Lazaruk as Kelowna‘s starter, steadying the ship down the stretch and backstopping the Rockets to a WHL title.
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r Guggenberger was arguably Kelowna‘s biggest addition – even bigger than import forward Mikael Backlund.
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r This is a much different team Guggenberger is joining, however, with the likes of Backlund, Jamie Benn, Tyler Myers and Colin Long all gone and replaced by youth for the most part.
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r Still, Guggenberger believes he can help steer the Rockets in the right direction.
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r “Absolutely, I think I can help the boys win a few games,” said Guggenberger, Kelowna‘s oldest player, who will turn 21 on Jan. 10. “We have a lot of potential. It‘s a really young team, and we just gotta keep working hard and buy into our system, and we should be all right.
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r “Only time will tell, but I wouldn‘t mind a second half like we had last year.”
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r ICE CHIPS: Through 31 games this season, Guggenberger has essentially assumed the role of cheerleader, a title he isn‘t overly fond of.
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r “Unfortunately, yeah, that‘s me,” he said. “I‘ve tried to stay as involved as I can. Just kinda hanging out with the guys away from the rink and being there for them around the room before and after games. I‘ve been going to the road games, too, and just doing anything I could do, like help load the bus.”
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