Kelly Guard

Kelly Guard
Born	(1983-06-10) June 10, 1983 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	186 lb (84 kg; 13 st 4 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Charlotte Checkers Binghamton Senators Junost Minsk China Sharks Vienna Capitals HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria
NHL draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2004–2008

Kelly Guard (born June 10, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria in Italy's Serie A. He helped lead the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to a Memorial Cup championship in 2004.

Playing career

Guard was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He spent his entire junior career with the WHL's Kelowna Rockets. In 2002–03, his first of two seasons with the team, he led the Rockets to a WHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament in Quebec City. The Rockets lost 2–1 to the Hull Olympiques in the semi-final. Guard had another stellar season with the Rockets in 2003–04, posting 44 wins in 62 games. Although Kelowna lost in the third round of the WHL playoffs that season, the city was chosen to host the 2004 Memorial Cup and as such the Rockets received an automatic berth in the tournament. Guard helped lead the team to the franchise's first Memorial Cup Championship as they defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 2–1 in the final. For his efforts, Guard was awarded both the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the Memorial Cup's top goaltender and most valuable player, respectively. He was also named to the tournament's First All-Star Team, and to the WHL's First All-Star Team for that season. In all, Guard posted an 83-24 record over his two seasons with Kelowna.

Guard was never selected in the NHL Entry Draft but was signed to a professional contract by the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators in 2004. He made his professional debut during the 2004–05 season playing for Ottawa's ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He spent the following two seasons with Ottawa's top minor league affiliate, the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League. He struggled with the team, posting a 36-44-4 record.

The Senators opted not to offer Guard a new contract after the 2006-07 season and the goaltender became a free agent. In November 2007, Guard signed with the China Sharks of Asia League Ice Hockey, though his stint with the team was brief. He had similarly brief stints with the Vienna Capitals of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga and Junost Minsk of the Belarusian Extraleague before signing with Serie A's HC Pustertal-Val Pusteria.

After sustaining a groin injury in an October 2008 match, Guard's contract with Pustertal-Val Pusteria was terminated by mutual consent. Although he said that "the city, the environment and the teammates were outstanding," Guard was disappointed with the level of play in Serie A and, already contemplating retirement, the injury helped make his decision final. In November 2008 Guard announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2002–03	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		53	39	10	3	3018	97	6	1.93	.911
2003–04	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		62	44	14	4	3652	95	13	1.56	.925
2004–05	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		26	12	11	2	1453	74	0	3.06	.901
2005–06	Binghamton Senators	AHL		51	25	20	1	2709	139	5	3.08	.908
2006–07	Binghamton Senators	AHL		42	11	24	3	2330	127	2	3.42	.895
2007–08	China Sharks	ALH		2	1	1	0	120	6	0	3.00	—
	AHL totals			93	36	44	4	5039	266	7	3.17	.902
	WHL totals			115	83	24	7	6670	192	19	1.73	.915

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2002–03	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		19	16	3	1233	36	4	1.75	.917
2003–04	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		17	11	6	1042	31	1	1.78	.919
2004–05	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		2	0	0	40	1	0	1.52	.933
	WHL totals			36	27	9	2275	67	5	1.77	.918

External links

• Kelly Guard career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Kelly Guard biography at hockeygoalies.org