Chill Shoot Slayers Out of Playoffs, Barely

The heavily favoured Keane Chill barely squeaked out a tight 13-12 shootout victory over the Sunnydale Slayers on Tuesday night, advancing to the championship game as a result.

Few people gave the Slayers a chance of keeping the game close, after it was learned that team captain and emergency goalie Gian Scalet would have to strap on the pads for his team. But although Scalet had never previously played a game as goaltender in the ADC FHL, he more than held up his end of the bargain, stopping 80% of the 60 shots he faced. In fact, observers were heard during the game comparing Scalet's laissez-faire netminding style to that of seasoned Fire keeper Harvey Snelgrove.

Things looked most dire for the Slayers early in the third period, when Chill forward Chad Randell's fourth goal of the game gave the Chill a commanding 11-7 lead. But the never-say-die Slayers valiantly fought back, and eventually tied the game at 12 with four and a half minutes to play. Despite numerous chances at both ends, neither team could beat the goaltending captains Scalet and John Johnstone in the remaining minutes, sending the game into a five-man shootout.

First up in the shootout was the Slayers Rene Aucoin, who was denied by Johnstone. The Chill's number one sniper Tony Joyce then stepped up to face Scalet, but it was Scalet who pulled off the poke check on Joyce, keeping the shootout deadlocked. The game's leading scorer Rob Tyrrell was up next for the Slayers, but he too was turned aside by Johnstone. Rob Tighe could then do no better for the Chill, as he lost control while stickhandling without getting a shot away.

Slayers defenseman Jason Roland tried to surprise Johnstone by shooting his attempt from the center circle, but his hard snap shot drifted wide. Finally, it was Chill utility man Chris Murphy who beat Scalet clean with a shot, giving the Chill a 1-0 advantage through three shooters.

In desperate need of a goal, the Slayers turned to Kevin Haddad, who has had no success in shootouts in the ADC FHL. But this time he came through, beating Johnstone with a high shot that tied things up. But that lead was short-lived, as the Chill's Benoit Dugas beat Scalet again putting the pressure squarely on the Slayers' final shooter Mike Murphy. But Murphy was denied by yet another Johnstone save, giving the Chill a 2-1 victory in the shootout, and making the official final score 13-12.

With the win, the Chill advance to face the ADC Lynx for the 2005A championship on Thursday evening in a battle between the league’s two expansion teams. Neither franchise has ever won the championship.