Cottonmouths’ Keegan Bruce finding the mark
For all of the Columbus Cottonmouths’ adversity this season, one thing that has stood out of late is the coming of age of rookie forward Keegan Bruce.
Bruce brought a six-game point scoring streak into Friday’s game. Columbus played on the road at Huntsville on Friday night, with the result incomplete as of press time, and will return home Saturday night to host the Fayetteville FireAntz at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbus Civic Center.
Against the Havoc at home last Saturday, Bruce enjoyed a career night. He scored the first hat trick for a Columbus player this season, notching three goals and two assists for a five-point game.
His 21 goals on the season is currently second-best in the Southern Professional Hockey League heading into this weekend.
“I think my shots are finally clicking,” Bruce said. “I was gripping the stick a little too tight at the start of the year, but in the second half, Bathgate and I have really been clicking, working a lot in practice at firing the puck at a sharp angle. When I have a little time, I’ve been picking the corners.”
Center and linemate Andy Bathgate has been a key cog in Bruce’s success. His 22 assists are tops on the Cottonmouths and tied for fifth-best in the SPHL.
“He’s got great vision,” Bruce said of Bathgate. He slows the game down really well in the offensive zone, and he makes it easy to play with him. You always know what he’s going to do with the puck, and it’s nice to play with a guy like that.
“The last couple of weeks, between the two of them and Chad Brears, who’s finally in game shape, they’re all great skaters,” Cottonmouths head coach Jerome Bechard said of his “Killer Bs” line. “Brucie can snipe, and they all see the ice really well. Occasionally, they may get too pretty out there, but for the most part, they’re all in sync with what they’re doing out there. That’s what we need this time of year, guys who are putting the puck in the net.”
Bechard also acknowledged his other two forward lines, who have been making contributions to the Cottonmouths offense of late as well.
“If they have an off night, the other lines have been unbelievable,” Bechard said. “It’s been a team effort.”
Since the Cottonmouths bus accident on Jan. 19 outside of Peoria, Columbus has reeled off a 7-4-1 record. Bruce says there is no doubt that experience galvanized the team and has them playing together as a unit heading into the final 18 games of the regular season.
“It was a very traumatic experience for all of us,” Bruce said. “It really brought us together and was a big bonding moment for sure. It’s helped to connect us on the ice, knowing where we’ll be and supporting each other.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Cottonmouths’ Keegan Bruce finding the mark."