Tragedy Strikes The Hockey World:

Former Chilliwack Chief goaltender dies after truck collides with deer

The Hamilton Spectator SMITHVILLE (Jun 10, 2009)

A one-time draft choice of the Los Angeles Kings was killed Monday night when a deer crashed through the windshield of his truck on former highway 20. Nathan Marsters, 29, of Smithville, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred just after 9 near Kimbo Road. The Kings selected Marsters, a goaltender, in the fifth round of the 2000 National Hockey League draft. Yesterday, Niagara police said Marsters died after the deer came through the windshield and struck him. "It was truly a tragic set of circumstances," said Constable Jacquie Forgeron. Marsters' truck ended up in a field where passersby tried to help him. He was alone in the truck. Police found that another car driven by a 71-year-old Wainfleet man had hit the same deer moments before the fatal collision. Police said the older man was eastbound on what is now called Regional Road 20, approaching Kimbo Road, when his car struck the deer crossing from south to north. Kimbo Road is just west of Smithville. The deer continued across the road and was struck by Marsters' westbound truck. After the collision, the pickup crossed through a ditch and stopped in a field on the north side of the road. Funeral arrangements for Marsters are being handled by the Stonehouse-Whitcomb Funeral Home
, 11 Mountain St., Grimsby. Niagara police ask that any witnesses to the accident call 905-688-4111, extension 5500.

This is on the Langley Chiefs web site:

Marsters, former Chilliwack Chiefs-RPI goalie, killed in car accident

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - Submitted by Ken Schott

Nathan Marsters, a goalie with the RPI hockey team from 2000-04, was killed late Monday night when a deer crashed through the windshield of his pickup truck in Smithville, Ontario. Marsters was 29.

The 6-foot-4 Marsters played in 115 games with RPI. He posted a 57-50-6 record with a 2.55 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and 10 shutouts. Marsters also played in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs during the 1999-2000 season.

"He was one of those guys everybody loved," said former teammate Ben Barr, who is now an assistant coach with Union. "He always had a smile on his face no matter how good or bad the day was going. It's tough. Obviously, on top of being a great goalie, he was a great person to be around. He's probably the nicest person I've ever met."
Kevin Broad was a freshman forward during Marsters' senior season.

"Nate was one of those guys that has this contagious laugh that I'll probably never forget," said Broad, who served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Engineers last season. "He was always laughing, always smiling. No matter what the situation, he could always make light of it. I was always impressed with how calming and relaxing a presence in the locker room as one of my leaders, yet how competitive how he was on the ice. You always knew what you were going to get with Nate on the ice."

The 2002-03 season was a struggle for Marsters. His GAA ballooned to a 3.41, and his save percentage dropped to .891. He split time in goal with Kevin Kurk. The Engineers finished 11th that season, and faced sixth-seeded and Capital Region-rival Union in the first round of the ECACH tournament.

The Engineers stunned the Dutchmen, sweeping the two-game series.While the series is best remembered for the two short-handed goals Barr scored 50 seconds apart in the third period in the series-clinching 3-2 win, Marsters' play in the two games was a major factor in RPI beating Union. He stopped 66 of the 69 shots he faced, helping RPI advance to the quarterfinals against Cornell.

"Nate was the type of person that when he knew that he was the guy and you were relying on him, that brought his game to a whole new level," former RPI coach Dan Fridgen said. "Before going into theplayoffs, I had a meeting with him, and told him he was going to be the guy. It was pretty obvious what happened during that series. He was incredible."