Tenacious Slayers Put Chill's Season on Ice

The third place Sunnydale Slayers faced-off against the sixth place Keane Chill Monday night, in the first game of the 2002B season. The Chill were resting their hopes on league scoring champion Tony Joyce, and their number one goaltender Jeff McCarthy. The Chill were 2-2 with McCarthy in nets and 0-6 without him in the regular season.

The Slayers got the early jump on the Chill however, when Chris Griffin squeezed a tough angle shot past McCarthy's shoulder. The rest of the first period was an even affair, as the Chill fought back to tie the game at two entering the second period led by two Mike Sasco assists.

Again it was Griffin who opened the Slayers account in the second period, starting a stretch where the Slayers outscored the Chill 5-1. The Chill, despite having a full squad, could not match the tenacity of a Slayers team who was hungry for playoff success.

The third period started with the Slayers up 7-4, but when the Chill scored on the powerplay, only a minute into the final frame, there were immediately signs of life on the Chill bench.

Those signs of life were quickly flat-lined by a smothering Slayer attack that outshot the Chill 65-39 over the course of the game. The Slayers scored the final six goals of the game to win 13-5 and advance to the semi-finals.

Rob Tyrrell led the Slayers with 5 goals, but could have had many more as he hit four goalposts. Joyce, who scored three goals for the Chill, was his team's only multiple goal scorer.

The Chill prepare before the game

The Slayers prepare before the game

After the game, Slayer captain and goaltender Paul Chui made a tearful announcement. Citing the pending birth of his second child, Chui declared that he would retire at the end of the season. Chui, the Slayers all-time leading games, hold records for most saves in a single season, and most saves in a single playoff game.

League pundits were skeptical about Chui's announcement. "He's only doing this to motivate his team," said Fire captain Harvey Snelgrove, "does he even have a wife?"

Chris Griffin sets up behind the Chill net

Jeff McCarthy makes a save

The Chill will now look ahead to next season, where they will have the number one draft position, while the Slayers will face the Hackers on Thursday night in a hotly anticipated match-up.