Games 1 and 2 of the 2009 Asia League Finals was held in Higashifushimi, Tokyo on Friday and Saturday. The Nippon Paper Cranes won the opener 4-2 in a chippy game that saw 3 players suspended for game 2. Then the Seibu Prince Rabbits came right back to win the second game 3-2 in a close but clean game. The two teams are now in Hokkaido for games 3-5. Chances of either team sweeping the next three games is pretty slim as the teams are evenly matched, so the closing chapter of the Seibu/Kokudo team should be played out back in Higashifushimi with game 6 on Sunday 22 March at 5pm and game 7 on Mon 23 March (if necessary).
Some pictures from game 1.
Longish queue to get into the arena before the doors opened.
These big Seibu player boards outside Higashifushimi will be gone next season.
Seibu fans made a big Rabbits sign.. umm.. intimidating 😛 Someone else has a handmade Joel Prpic sign as well
Canadian born Japanese national team player Darcy Mitani with his funky knob
Seibu scores!
Someone on the Cranes likes huge knobs
One of the skirmishes near the end of the game
