Stars’ marksman out to prove doubters wrong

MIKE WIRLL remains determined to prove the critics wrong and keep shock- troops Dundee CCS Stars at the top of ice hockey’s Elite League.

The Canadian marksman has heard whispers that rivals don’t believe Jeff Hutchings’ men can maintain their current form and the former Braehead Clan forward, who is now in his second season on Tayside, is up for the challenge.

Wirll, whose season has been interrupted by injury, said: “This is not the start of the year we were expecting but we’re enjoying it.

“It’s a good league this season and people have been saying that we will slow down. We’d love to prove everybody wrong.

“We’re doing well and want to keep it that way.”

Wirll, who also has experienced the rough East Coast Hockey League in North America and in Finland and Germany, goes in against his former side on Sunday, Stars’ only game of the weekend.

Dundee have 16 points and sit in second spot with Braehead six points behind with four games in hand.

Stars edged Braehead in the Challenge Cup clash last Sunday but the Glasgow side only had 12 skaters and two netminders. They also used back-up netminder Mike Will.

And Wirll, who claims not to be 100% fit, said: “I’m contributing and doing what I can for the guys in the team.

“Everybody is contributing and everybody is buying into our system. We are creating chances.

“But we are also throwing them away and that must stop. That will catch us with us when we start to play tougher teams in this league which is really competitive.”

Derek Black. Mike Wirll.