NEW MEXICO ICE WOLVES SET TEAM RECORD WITH FIVE PLAYERS AND HEAD COACH PHIL FOX SELECTED FOR NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE 2022 TOP PROSPECTS
Goalie Beni Halasz, Forward Evan Carroll, Defensemen Mitch Becker, Jeff Hutchinson and Joe Prouty All Selected Along with NM Ice Wolves Head Coach Phil Fox Who Was Named South Team’s Head Coach for the Top Prospects Showcase
The 2022 NAHL Top Prospects Showcase Runs Monday, February 7, 2022 Through Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
(Albuquerque, NM) Tuesday, January 25, 2022 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves today announced that a team record five players and for the first time ever Head Coach Phil Fox have been selected for the North American Hockey League (NAHL) 2022 Top Prospects Showcase. NM Ice Wolves players selected include goalie Beni Halasz, forward Evan Carroll and defensemen Mitch Becker, Jeff Hutchinson and Joe Prouty along with third year head coach Phil Fox who was named to be the South Team head coach for the showcase.
“This is a tremendous honor for the entire NM Ice Wolves organization and a testament to the hard work and dedication put in by our players, coaching staff and team owner Stan Hubbard,” said Phil Fox, NM Ice Wolves Head Coach. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to coach the South Team at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament and I’m excited for all of the players involved as the Tournament is one of the most highly scouted events of its kind with NHL and NCAA Division I scouts in attendance.”
Halasz has been one of the league’s top goalies in the 2021-2022 season. Through 27 games played he has a win-loss record of 18-6-0-2 (wins, losses, overtime losses, shootout losses). Halasz has a league best 1.97 GAA (goals against average) and a save percentage of 0.928. Halasz has also recorded three shut outs this season. Forward Evan Carroll has played in 15 games this season and has recorded nine points on four goals and five assists. Carroll’s points per game average is among the teams best at 0.60. Carroll has a +- (plus-minus) of +5 this season and he is in his third year in the NAHL.
Defensemen Mitch Becker has played in all 36 NM Ice Wolves game this season. Through those 36 games played he has recorded 19 points on five goals and 14 assists. Becker has a point per game average of 0.53. Becker is also among the team leaders with a +- (plus-minus) of +5 this season. Becker is an assistant captain of the 2021-2022 NM Ice Wolves team. Defensemen Jeff Hutchinson has recorded 10 points through 29 games played this season. He has two goals and eight assists as well as a points per game average of 0.34. Hutchinson has a game winning goal this season, and a +- of +2 this season. Hutchinson is in his second year with the NM Ice Wolves. Defenseman Prouty has 11 points through 36 games played this season. He and Becker are tied for the team lead and have played in every game this season. Prouty has one goal and 10 assists and a points per game average of 0.31. Prouty has a game winning goal, and +- of +1 this season. Prouty is in his third year with the team and has played for the NM Ice Wolves since the inaugural season in 2019-2020.
NM Ice Wolves Head Coach Phil Fox is having his best coaching display yet leading the team to a South Division leading 23-10-1-2 start. Through playing experience of his own and having a veteran led group of players, Fox’s success has earned him the opportunity to represent the South Division and lead the South Team as the head coach. He will be assisted by Harry Mahood from the Amarillo Wranglers. The South Team, led by Fox, will play the East team at 4pm ET on Monday, February 7, 2022. The following day on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, the South Team will play the Central team at 12:30pm ET. All games will be played at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. The sports complex is the primary training facility for the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins. All games will be streamed on HockeyTV (https://www.hockeytv.com).
Members of the press can visit https://www.nmicewolves.com/press to download hi-res photos of the NM Ice Wolves 2022 Top Prospects.
The NM Ice Wolves continue their season this Friday, January 28 against the El Paso Rhinos at 7:30pm MT and Saturday, January 29 at 6:30pm MT at the Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM. Single game ticket pricing is below. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.nmicewolves.com