Chuli keeps net (and books) clean

Toronto Six goalie Elaine Chuli knows all about tests.

She’ll face another one when the 3-1 Six take on the 4-0 Pride on Saturday night, the first of back-toback games in Boston. The Pride beat the Six in the Professional Hockey Federation semifinals last season, before topping Connecticut for the title.

Like most players in the league, Chuli is performing a balancing act early in the season, holding down another job while playing professional hockey. After passing the required tests in accounting at the University of Connecticut, she graduated in 2016 and went on to become a certified public accountant. She’s thankful for the help of family members as she juggles practices, games, training and a day job.

“I live in Brantford, but my sister (Ericka) is a CPA as well and she lives just off the Don Valley Parkway,” Chuli said. “So, I stay with my sister to help avoid the commute ... it helps a lot.”

Her family is from Waterford, Ont., 130 kilometres southwest of Toronto. Dad Rick ran a General Motors car dealership there, while mom Jill worked in a family farm equipment business and helped Rick manage his books.

“We probably got (accounting) from my mom,” Chuli said.

Shortly after graduating, she had an offer to play professionally in China.

“I was working as an accountant at a firm in Brantford,” Chuli said. “I was off (the ice) that year and I had reconstructive surgery on my knee. I got a call and an offer to play in China with a full salary. I said to myself that this was something I couldn’t pass up. A bunch of players from national teams around the world got invited to play there. They wanted us to go there and grow the sport in China,” which had won the rights to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Six captain Shiann Darkangelo and forward Emma Woods also accepted offers, and went on to play together again with the Toronto Furies before the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folded in 2019.

Chuli, meanwhile, pondered retirement that year. A call from the Six changed her mind.

“To be honest, the CWHL folded and I thought it was about time to pack it in,” Chuli said. “I got a call and (the Six) said they were putting a team in Toronto. They asked if I’d be a part of it. And here I am now, three seasons later.”

The forward turned goalie, who grew up a Curtis Joseph fan and played with Triple-A boys’ teams for two years in Waterford, faced another test. The fact that professional women’s hockey players are being paid has made a difference.

“We are fortunate to have players like our coach (Hall of Famer Geraldine Heaney) who didn’t get paid, but paved the way for us,” Chuli said. “Now ... we get paid and hopefully we’re setting the next generation of players up for something better.”

Chuli, who shares Six net duties with Carly Jackson, led the league with a 16-1-0 record last season.