Mike Wirll named CCM Tacks ECHL Player of the Month

February 5, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Pensacola Ice Pilots News Release


PENSACOLA, FL -- The Pensacola Ice Pilots, proud members of the ECHL, announced today (Monday) that forward Mike Wirll was named as the CCM TACKS/ECHL Player-of-the-Month for January.

The 24-year-old led the ECHL in January with 14 goals and tied for fifth in points during the month with 17. Since joining the Ice Pilots from Utah on Nov. 17, Wirll has 39 points (24 g-15a) in 31 games.

"Mike is a constant threat offensively, and he has to be one of the more difficult forwards in the league to defend against," said Head Coach Joe Clark. "He is not afraid to shoot the puck, and he has a knack for scoring tough-angle goals. He has caught many goaltenders by surprise this year."

The Regina, Saskatchewan native scored in 11 out of 12 games in January. He had a 13-game scoring streak (15g-6a) from Dec. 29-Jan. 26 and a seven-game goal streak (10 goals) from Jan. 2-15. He tied for the second longest goal streak in the ECHL this season and tied for the fourth-longest point streak.

Wirll leads the ECHL in first goals with eight and is tied for the lead with 31 goals and is tied for eighth with 49 points (31g-18a).

The 5-foot-10 and 206 pound Wirll had his first hat trick of the season and a season-high four points (3g-1a) in a 7-4 win over South Carolina on Jan. 2. He had four multi-point games and four power play goals in January as Pensacola went 5-8-0.

In eight away games in January, Wirll had 10 points (9g-1a). Wirll had a goal and an assist in a 6-4 loss in South Carolina on Jan. 4, and had a goal in a pair of games at South Division leader Gwinnett. On Jan. 13 at Augusta, Wirll had two goals and scored two more goals on Jan. 26 at Columbia.

In his fourth season in the ECHL, Wirll has 158 points (70g-88a) and 118 penalty minutes in 186 regular season games with Charlotte, Victoria, Utah and Pensacola. He has also played in the West Coast Hockey League, WHA2 and the Southern Professional Hockey League as well as in Finland.

Hockey Returns to The Hangar tomorrow (Tuesday) night when the Pensacola Ice Pilots host the Texas Wildcatters at 7:05 pm. It's Two for Tuesday and when fans purchase one regularly priced ticket they receive a second one free. Tickets are available at the Pensacola Civic Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations or on line at www.ticketmaster.com. For further information including group rates call 432-PUCK.



ECHL Stories from February 5, 2007


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