NANAIMO — Through twelve games of the Clippers season, backup goaltender Grayson Hanggi has only played twice.
In those games, he has a 1-1 record with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage
He hasn’t seen a lot of action yet, but the Minnesota native is enjoying the start to his season in Nanaimo.
“So far it’s been great,” Hanggi said. “I’m settling in with the boys and with my billet family. Everything has gone very smoothly. The transition to junior hockey has gone very well so far. The introduction to the level and the pace of everything is a jump from where I was. The boys walked me through that and helped to set me up for success.”
In Hanggi’s first start in Coquitlam, he played well, but a late goal prevented him from getting his first BCHL win.
On Friday, Oct. 16, he earned his next start with the added pressure of trying to snap the Clippers out of a two-game losing streak.
“I wanted to go in and set the boys up for success and give them a chance to win and also prove myself as well. I supported them, and they supported me, and we came out on top. It was nice to get my first win.”
Hanggi made 21 saves and was named the first star in a 2-1 victory.
After the game, his teammates presented him with the game puck.
“That always feels good. I stuck that in my stall so every day I go to practice or into a game I look at that and try to recreate how I played and how I felt.”
Clippers assistant coach Gaelan Patterson was impressed with how sharp Hanggi was, especially with so long between starts.
“He did an outstanding job. He hadn’t played or practiced in over a week, so for him to come in and be poised and stellar, that was an exceptional performance by him.”
The 19-year-old started his hockey career near his home in Lino Lakes, Minnesota and said his pathway involved him moving to several different teams, which helped him hone his game.
“I played hometown Minnesota association hockey, and then I played in a private amateur league growing up. I also played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a prep school out of southern Minnesota. After that I transferred back to Minnesota high school and played at Hill Murray. Through that I made a ton of good relationships, had a ton of fun and developed as a goalie. I’m very happy with how things went with all my teams on my journey.”
Hanggi is building a strong connection with Clippers starter Hugo Laring as goalie partners on and off the ice.
He said the two help push each other to get better.
“There’s a lot of things that I can take away and learn from him. We’re constantly talking about things and having conversations on different plays and scenarios.”
The Clippers have two games to wrap up the month of October.
Nanaimo plays on Friday, Oct. 23 against Powell River and will host the Chilliwack Chiefs in a matinee on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.
The team has just gone through a stretch of seven of eight games on the road, going 4-4 in that span.
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