Blades win!

The Tohoku Free Blades hosted their first preseason game today in Hachinohe, Aomori against the Nikko Ice Bucks. And despite local reports that it was a rough game with lots of penalties against the Blades, the expansion team managed to pull off a wild 9-6 win over the stronger than usual Bucks squad. The shots on goal were Blades 35 – 36 Bucks, so it looks like the Blades have improved a lot compared to their first pair of preseason games in Nikko where they were clearly being outplayed. Apparently there was a decently sized crowd as well (there better be, as it was a weekend game, and the first one against an AL team at that.)

Edit: Official game sheet. There were 420 spectators, this’ll have to improve during the regular season.

Blades – Bucks preseason results

The new AL team Tohoku Free Blades faced off against the bolstered Nikko Ice Bucks over the weekend for two preseason games. These two games were the Blades first official games (their games up to now had been against understrengthed squads, non-AL teams or not full 3×20 games).

29 August 2009

Nikko Ice Bucks 4 (0-1, 2-0, 2-1) 2 Tohoku Free Blades

SOG: 43 – 12

Attendance: 872

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30 August 2009

Nikko Ice Bucks 4 (1-0, 2-0, 1-1) 1 Tohoku Free Blades

SOG: 30 – 16

Attendance: 882

The word is that Steve Munn and Jon Smyth were solid for the Blades, Bin Ishioka scored both goals in game 1, Michio Hashimoto kept the team in the game despite being vastly outshot in the first game, and the team was less tense in the second game and played a more overall solid game despite the untelling scoreline.

Goalies in game 1 were starters and former Buck Michio Hashimoto for the Blades and national team goalie Naoya Kikuchi for the Bucks, backup goalies played in game 2 for both teams.

Images from game 1 via Freeblades.jp

More images and game report here.

On another note, national team defenceman and former Seibu Prince Rabbit Ryuichi Kawai and his younger brother and first Japanese player to appear in the Memorial Cup Takuma Kawai are in a small town near Lethbridge, Alberta at staying at Kiyoshi Ryan Fujita’s house and training. Not sure what they’re aim is but maybe they’re looking for some tryouts in the North American minor leagues.

Preseason Hokkaido Derby

Defending Asia League champions Nippon Paper Cranes will face off against the Oji Eagles for two preseason games at the beginning of September. Free admission for both games.

3 Sept (Thu) 18:30 faceoff

4 Sept (Fri) 10:30 faceoff

Both games are held at the Oji Skate Center and which is located a mere 4 minute walk from JR Tomakomai station on Oji Street.

Upcoming AL preseason action in Japan

After the Seibu Prince Rabbits road trip to Bayern, Germany at the end of last month, followed by their game against the Nikko IceBucks (first of only 2 preseason games for this cash strapped club), and the Anyang Cup held in Anyang (suburb of Seoul) where the other 5 AL teams got to play 3 games each, there’s more Asia League Ice Hockey preseason games this upcoming long weekend before the regular season kicks off on the 20th. 

Sun 14 Sept 14:00 Nikko IceBucks at Seibu Prince Rabbits @ Higashifushimi, Tokyo

And a series of games up in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

80th Hokkaido Ice Hockey Championships (A class) @ Tsukisamu Arena, Sapporo

Sat 13 Sept 12:00 Nippon Paper Cranes v Toyota Jidosha Hokkaido Centuries

Sat 13 Sept 15:00 Kushiro Koseisha IHC v Oji Eagles

Sun 14 Sept 12:00 Bronze medal game

Sun 14 Sept 15:00 Gold medal game

Tickets: 1300 in advance, 1500 at door

33rd Annual Mainichi Cup Oji Eagles v Nippon Paper Cranes @ Tsukisamu Arena, Sapporo

Mon 15 Sept (holiday) 14:00 Oji Eagles v Nippon Paper Cranes

Tickets: 1300 in advance, 1500 at door