Brianna Keats is an 18-year-old freshman from British Columbia, Canada. Keats is emerging as one of the top forwards in the ECAC East and is second of her team in points with 13 (6 goals, 7 Assists). Keats was also named ECAC East Rookie of the Week on Jan. 12, 2015. Keats is currently studying health psychology but could possibly double major in exercise science. While we know of her talent on the ice, who is Brianna Keats when the pads come off?

Q: What was it like having to come to a new country to attend school?

A: I don’t know, I didn’t really have any expectations. But it is a lot different like the way we say things and everything. I think it’s really good to come to a different country. It was a good experience.

Q: Do you have any plans for the future after graduating? Like an ideal career?

A: I’m looking toward a being a sports psychologist or just anything in that direction, nothing really set in stone.

Q: Could you tell what your favorite candy is?

A: Probably Mini Eggs but I don’t think you have those here.

Q: This leads to my next question. How is candy in Canada different than in the United States?

A: There is actually a lot of different candies just like little things like we call them Rockets, you guys call them Smarties and we also have something else called Smarties and there’s a bunch of differences like that.

Q: What is your favorite game day ritual?

A: Game day ritual…ugh… well I have superstitions that I have to put all of my gear on the left side before the right and that’s for practices and games. Game day rituals um, I always have to be with Steady (Taylor Steadman) before like the games and stuff and Hannah (Rose) and I have a few but I just got some this year with some teammates and stuff.

Q: Can you tell me about who Bruno is?

A: Haha Bruno… My baby boy! My favorite puppy ever. He’s a chocolate lab. He’s only 3 years old… just kidding he’s actually 8 but I tell people he’s 3.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Vermont?

A: It’s very pretty. It’s like a very pretty place. Vermont is a lot like B.C. (British Columbia) with the mountains and how green everything is. It reminds me a lot like home.

Q: Can you tell me about the Pink the Rink event and what that’s all about?

A: Just for like breast cancer awareness. We’re having a bunch of raffles. We’re giving away like baskets and everything and it’s like a big thing for breast cancer to raise awareness for it and like raise some money for it.

Q: Tell us something about you that nobody would know.

A: When I was seven I flew across the country (to Newfoundland) by myself. My brother went to Paris and my parents went to New York all at the same time and we ended up back at the same place at the same time.

Q: What’s your goal with hockey? Olympics?

A: Not really the Olympics but this college hockey is what I’ve always been going for. Just to come and go somewhere for hockey and to get college out of it and play college hockey.

Q: What role has hockey played in your life?

A: Well it’s kept me disciplined and taught me the ways of different things that I feel other people can’t or don’t have.

Q: What is your best hockey moment?

A: Best hockey moment would be making it to nationals with my hockey team (Fraser Valley Phantoms)

Q: What is your worst hockey moment?

A: I slid head first into the boards, got a concussion, was knocked out, broke my back and my wrist at the same time.

Q: How do you feel the injury affected your play?

A: I used to be a lot more grittier in the boards and like in the corners and other than that not really.

Q: What does the pink the rink event mean to you?

A: Never really played in a Pink the Rink game so I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s an awesome thing to do. We have our pink jerseys and I think it’s going to be a great experience. I’ve never done it and I think it’s awesome.