ECHL Bakersfield Condors

Wirll named ECHL Player of the Week for second time in three weeks

Published on March 3, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The ECHL announced today that Condors RW Mike Wirll has been named the In Glas Co ECHL Player of the Week for Feb. 23 - March 1. This is the second time in the last three weeks that Wirll has won this award, and it marks the third straight week that a Condor has been ECHL Player of the Week, as RW Chad Painchaud won it for Feb. 16 - 22.

This is the first recorded instance in the ECHL that a team has won three straight Player of the Week awards. It is the fourth time overall that the Condors have won this weekly award this season (LW Mark Derlago won it for Oct. 27- Nov. 2), which sets a Condors record for most Player of the Week awards in a single campaign.

The last time the Condors won three Player of the Week awards in a single season was in 2002-03, with only two Player of the Week awards from 2004-08. Wirll becomes just the third Condor ever to win the award twice in one season, and the first since Condors Legend Paul Willett won it twice in the WCHL during the 1999-2000 season.

Wirll, 27, helped lead the Condors to a 2-1-0 record on the week with 5g-3a-8pts in the team's three games, and has 9g-9a-18pts during the Condors 10-2-1 streak over their last 13 games, which includes a league best 8-1-1 record in their last 10 contests. While his five goals on the week led the league, he and linemates LW Mark Derlago (2g-6a) and F Dave Bonk (0g-8a) all tied for the ECHL lead with eight points apiece. Wirll registered his first hat trick of the season, part of a four-point night, on his 27th birthday in the Condors 6-3 win in Phoenix last Saturday. He then added three points, including two third period goals, in Bakersfield's 4-3 shootout victory against Las Vegas on Sunday.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 191-pound native of Regina, Saskatchewan has averaged more than a point per game since being acquired by the Condors from Mississippi on Nov. 27, tallying 16g-17a-33pts in 30 games with Bakersfield. The six-year pro has 18g-26a-44pts in 44 games overall this season, and has 121g-136a-257pts in 297 career professional games. He started his pro career with the Condors, registering one assist in five regular season games late in the 2002-03 season, as well as one assist in five playoff games that year.

On behalf of Wirll, a case of pucks will be donated to a Bakersfield youth hockey organization by In Glas Co, the exclusive puck supplier of the ECHL. Since beginning its sponsorship of the award in 2000-01, In Glas Co has donated more than 20,000 pucks to youth hockey organizations in ECHL cities.

Fukufuji named runner-up for ECHL Goalie of the Week:

The ECHL also announced today that G Yutaka Fukufuji has been named runner-up for the Reebok ECHL Goalie of the Week for Feb. 23 - March 1. Fukufuji went 2-0-0 on the week with a 2.88 GAA and .910 save percentage, extending his winning streak to six straight games.

After making 29 saves in Saturday's 6-3 win in Phoenix, Fukufuji stopped 31 of 34, and all five shooters in the shootout, in the Condors 4-3 win against Las Vegas on Sunday. He has won both shootouts in which he has played this season, going a perfect 12-for-12.

Notes from the Nest:

The Condors are back at The Nest this Wednesday to host the Utah Grizzlies for High School / College ID Night, sponsored by 106.1 KRAB Radio. High school and college students can receive lower-level admission for just $1 by presenting their student ID at the Rabobank Arena Box Office! Doors open at 6 p.m., the puck drops at 7 p.m.

Get Tickets:

Individual game tickets may be purchased through the Rabobank Arena Box Office, which is open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday with extended hours on game days. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 322-2525, online at Bakersfieldcondors.com, or at any Ticketmaster location. Season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available at the Condors office located at 1001 Truxtun Avenue or by calling 324-PUCK (7825).

Check out the Bakersfield Condors Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from March 3, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central