January 16, 2008

Phoenix Acquires Gillies

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL, an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks and the Worcester Sharks, have acquired former Union forward Nathan Gillies from the Charlotte Checkers in exchange for center Jeff Kyrzakos.

Gillies, 27, registered a career-high 41 points in 2006-07 with 17 goals and 24 assists in 62 games, and finished seventh on the Checkers in scoring. The fifth-year pro led all Charlotte scoring during the 2007 Kelly Cup Playoffs with two goals and four points in five games. A native of Cambridge, Ontario, Gillies began his professional career with the Elmira Jackals of the former United Hockey League in 2003-04, and tallied a career-best 23 goals while finishing with 122 penalty minutes in 63 games. He has also logged 17 career games in the American Hockey League with the Binghamton Senators and Bridgeport Sound Tigers recording totals of two goals and five points.

Gillies is currently tied for eighth on the Checkers in scoring this season with three goals and 11 points through 32 games. He is a four-year product of NCAA Division I Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. where he totaled 33 goals and 78 points in 116 games from 1999-2003.

Kyrzakos leaves the RoadRunners with 22 goals and 45 points in 99 career games with the club beginning with his rookie season in 2006-07.

Phoenix continues its season-long 12-game road trip at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday with the opener of a three-game series with the Utah Grizzlies from the "E"-Center. Catch all the action live at www.phxroadrunners.com beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 6:45 p.m.