2008中国冬季国体アイスホッケー大会

１月に中国のチチハル市で中国冬季国体のアイスホッケー大会を開催しました。

９チームを３グループに振り分けてグループ戦を行いましたが、ここではレベルの差があからさまに出ました。

1月21－23日

チチハル – 香港 20 – 0
Vanguard – 香港 16 – 4
チチハル – Vanguard 12 – 1

Jiamusi – マカオ 18 – 1
北京 – マカオ 17 – 1
Jiamusi – 北京 7 – 3

ハルビン – Hulunbuir 19 – 0
Songyuan – Hulunbuir 10 – 1
ハルビン – Songyuan 10 – 2

1月25－27日に順位決定戦が行われました：

1-3決定戦（決勝グループ）:
チチハル – Jiamusi 11 – 1
Jiamusi – ハルビン 1 – 12
ハルビン – チチハル 4 – 1

4-6位決定戦:
北京 – Vanguard 5 – 9
北京 – Songyuan 1 – 3
Songyuan – Vanguard 8 – 2

7-9位決定戦:
香港 – マカオ 5 – 1
マカオ – Hulunbuir 4 – 17
Hulunbuir – 香港 7 – 2

最終順位:
1) ハルビン
2) チチハル
3) Jiamusi
4) Songyuan
5) Vanguard
6) 北京
7) Hulunbuir
8 ) 香港
9) マカオ

大会公式サイト（中国語）

中国代表（と中国シャークス）は実質ハルビンとチチハルの選手だけでなりたってるから納得な結果でしょう（アジアリーグでもいつもハルビンがチチハルに勝ってたし）。それにしても、９チームしかないのにレベルの差が激しすぎる。NHLのニューヨーク・アイランダーズのオーナーのチャールズ・ワンが実施している、屋外リンク作成で競技人口すそ野が広がる事を祈ります。

Vanguard は実質元中国代表選手から成り立っているそうで、Songyuan はチチハルのBチーム、Hulunbeier はチチハルのC（ユース）チーム、そして北京はハルビンのBチームだったそうです。

2008 AL semifinals result and finals preview

Games 3 and 4 of the 2008 Asia League Ice Hockey semifinals were played last week.

2008.3.5 Oji 4 – 1 High1

(Oji wins series 3-0)

2008.3.5 Cranes 7 – 2 Seibu

2008.3.6 Cranes 2 – 1 Seibu

(Cranes win series 3-1)

Oji handily swept the 2nd place team in the regular season High1, outscoring them by an aggregate of 17-8 in the 3 games. High1 seems to have gone down without much of a fight (except for game 2), the team’s definitely got potential, so I’m hoping for a better playoff performance from them next season. Oji makes its first ever AL final (it has been Cranes – Seibu (Kokudo) every season in this league’s brief existence). For this once glorious team that won numerous Japan League and Japanese Championship titles, this could be a return to glory (though, getting to avoid Seibu and the Cranes leading up to the finals was probably the biggest blessing). Oji’s last Japan League title came in 1994, so they’ll be gunning for the trophy for sure.

Cranes vs Seibu, this has been the staple of Asial League championship every season (and in Japan League championships leading upto the creation of the Asia League in 2003). Yet again, the Cranes won a playoff series on the back of their new goalie Jamie McLennan. Though the Cranes demolished Seibu 7-2 in game 3, McLennan won game 4 all by himself making 36 saves in the 2-1 win to seal the series at home while in Kushiro, Hokkaido. He has been absolutely stellar throughout the playoffs posting 93.75% save percentage in round 1 against Halla, and a 92.8% save percentage against the most explosive offense in the league in Seibu in the semifinals. Other than getting involved in some rough stuff in game 2 and taking some penalties that led to Seibu power play goals, Jamie has been just amazing. If he keeps his cool, the Cranes can take the Hokkaido derby final and defend their AL title. Oji’s best bet to dethrone the champions may be to get under McLennan’s skin. After all, a goalie fresh out of the NHL (he was a backup only last season) is well above the level of play in this league (AL is probably a similar in level to a less physical ECHL).

Semifinals games 1 and 2 review.