The player who set up one of the most significant goals in Fort Wayne Komets history died Saturday. Defenseman Rob Guinn, 32, was killed near Jefferson, Iowa, at about 5:30 p.m. when a driver ran a stop sign and hit Guinn's Kia Sportage in the side, flipping the car onto the driver's side.

Guinn, who is survived by his wife Brooke and daughter Olivia, 5 months, was pronounced dead at Greene County Hospital.

Guinn played 98 games for the Komets in 2004-05 and another 81 in 2005-06, scoring 15 goals and 68 points. He will be remembered for setting up Jonathan Goodwin's game-winning goal in overtime of Game 7 of the 2005 semifinals against Rockford. That helped the Komets overcome a 3-1 deficit for the first time in their history.

“What I'll always remember is the decision he made before that faceoff,” Komets center Colin Chaulk said.

“The faceoff was five feet inside our blue line, and he asked me if he should cover the blue line to try to keep the puck in the zone. That opened up the whole play.”

As Guinn skated wide around a Rockford defender and in to challenge goaltender Michel Robinson, he heard Goodwin yell for the puck and passed it over to allow the forward to shoot into an open net.

Guinn played every game the Komets had during those two years despite having two shoulders that required surgery. Sometimes they hurt so bad he had trouble picking up a sandwich.

“You shut your mind off and just play, and that's what you have to do sometimes,” Guinn said. “It's that way especially at this level when teams don't have a bunch of money to bring in new guys all the time.

“It's a sacrifice you have to make playing at this level. I'm willing to play hurt anytime if it's not serious or it's not going to get any worse.”

During that time, Guinn was also attending classes to become a nurse, often arriving at practice in scrubs after getting up to work at the hospital.

“He was a smart kid who made sure he had life after hockey figured out,” Komets trainer Shawn Dundon said. “He was a first-class guy who loved coming to the rink every day. He was always in a good mood, and he couldn't wait to tell us all about his daughter.”

Guinn left the Komets after the 2005-06 season to play in the Central Hockey League but played with Bloomington in the International Hockey League last season.

“He was a great person, probably one of the funniest and nicest people I know,” former Komets goaltender Kevin St. Pierre said. “He'd do anything for you if he could. He was just a great friend.

“Even off the ice he was just an unbelievable guy.”

Because he didn't score a lot or fight, Guinn was likely one of the most underrated Komets in recent memory by some of the fans, but not by his teammates.

“He was a real warrior, a throwback to the old style of player who played through injuries, played hard and gave you his best effort every night,” Komets general manager David Franke said.