Ethan Paulin-Hatch spent three seasons with the Kamloops Storm in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and is now moving on to Lindenwood University.
Dunsmoor Creative photo
Kamloops Storm goalie Ethan Paulin-Hatch is joining the three-time American Collegiate Hockey Association national division 1 champs, Lindenwood University Lions.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to continue my education,” says Paulin-Hatch of Fort MacMurray, Alta., who will now move to St. Charles, Miss. “It’s always been a goal of mine to go to school in the States to play hockey. I’m very grateful for this opportunity.”
Paulin-Hatch likes that Lindenwood University is a smaller school and speaking to coach Rick Zombo and his staff, he’s learned about their great facilities. Zombo played in the NHL for 12 years.
Paulin-Hatch ended his third and final season with the Storm with eight wins in 26 games. He finished his Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) career with 32 wins in 90 career regular season games, along with a 3.40 goals against average and .903 save percentage. Paulin-Hatch set a career high in the GAA category – 3.16.
Paulin-Hatch tracks the puck during action against the Kelowna Chiefs on Mental Health Awareness night.
KIJHL Media photo
“I personally struggled in the first half of the year and I had to battle an injury, but I felt that I had a pretty strong second half of the season,” says Paulin-Hatch, who had six of his wins come when the calendar flipped to 2020. “I focused a lot on improving my puck playing. We had a fairly young D-core at the start of the season so I wanted to help them as much as I could with breaking the puck out.”
When it comes to joining the Lions, Paulin-Hatch looks forward to joining their winning culture. The Lions have won national championships in 2009, 2010 and 2016.
The Fort MacMurray native feels his time in the KIJHL helped him develop on and off the ice. He was also fortunate to have great coaches with the Storm in Ed Patterson, Jassi Sangha and Steve Gainey and their staff.
“They all helped me develop into a better goalie and leader,” he says. “I was lucky enough to have amazing billets who helped me mature lots away from the rink. When I look back on my time in Kamloops, so many good things come to mind on and off the ice. The thing I think of most though is how I was lucky enough to create so many great friendships especially with a few of the guys that I was lucky enough to play with for three years who are like family to me now.”
