In July the Estevan Bruins made a deal with the British Columbia Hockey League’s Prince George Spruce Kings that saw goaltender Keenan Rancier head east in exchange for Preston Brodziak.
That trade has already paid huge dividends as the 19-year-old Victoria, B.C., product has been a workhorse for the Bruins seeing action in eight of their first nine games while posting an impressive 1.72 goals-against average and .948 save percentage.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Rancier was relied upon even more than usual earlier in the season while the Bruins’ offence struggled to get on track, but with wins in their last two outings that appears to have been rectified. Since the start of October, Rancier has allowed just three goals in three games highlighted by a 28-save performance against the Nipawin Hawks to give Rancier his first Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League shutout.
Rancier was well travelled before finding a home in Estevan as last season he split his time with three teams – Prince George and Victoria of the BCHL along with the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. After a rough start where he had a 5.92 GAA in five games with Victoria, Rancier only got better as the season went on as he was solid in his time with Prince George when he had a 1.67 GAA and .930 save percentage in six games with the Spruce Kings.
Prior to making the jump to the junior level, Rancier spent three seasons at the Okanagan Hockey Academy where he had very respectable numbers with an average GAA hovering around 2.30 and a save percentage well above the .900 level.
Rancier will undoubtedly be called upon a lot this season and if his impressive play continues the Bruins should be in the running for a third straight Viterra Division banner. Add in a continued improvement in team offence and Estevan certainly has a chance to make a move up the standings.
Keenan Rancier, Estevan Bruins
