Asia league champions Nippon Paper Cranes!!!!!!

Well last week was pretty exciting I went to game 6 and game 7 at the Higashi Fushimi arena on March 22 and 23.Both games were fantastic game 6 was a back and forth affair with Seibu jumping out to a quick 3-1 lead then the Cranes came back to tie it in the third period but Seibu got a late powerplay goal with 45 seconds left in the game  to win it 4-3 and to force the do or die game 7 the next night.This is a picture of the equipment truck for the Seibu team which is folding after this season,they are having a fan festival today at their arena March 28 to say goodbye to the team.

Game 7 do or die with the champagne waiting for the champions,Darcy Mitani scored the first goal a powerplay goal with a great wristshot from the point that found the top of the net.

Here is a picture of the Cranes goalie in game 6,he ended up making 54 saves in game 7 and won the MVP trophy for the finals #61 Hisashi Ishikawa,Seibu tried their hardest to tie up the game in the final minutes of the game but they failed even after pulling their goalie for the extra attacker.I was sitting in the Seibu fans section with my Japanese  friend Kagaya who is a big Seibu fan and I managed to piss off a lot of fans their after I cheered loudly when the Cranes won the game.

Here are some pics of the celebrations on the ice.

Next the fantasy and hockey pool report,well I am screwed in both of my pools 4th place in both with about 2 weeks left in the season.

In the main pool Johnny boy has moved into first but only 1 point ahead of Jay the minister and papa Rog in third he is about 11 points ahead of me and Brian the rookie still in last place in his inaugural season in the pool with the big boys!!!

Fantasy update Kevin from Toronto has solidified his lead at the top and Johnny boy has moved into second and arrogant Dave from Calgary  has overtaken me but only by half a point so I hope I can beat him and my friend from Newfoundland  is in last place but he has not managed his team all season which I am angry about.

Finally the Bruins have clinched first place in the Northeast division and have 102 points with 9 games left they had 6 days off and will play the Maple Laffs on Saturday night ,my buddy Damian might come over to my place on Sunday morning to watch it live in Japan.Tonight is the Tokyo Canadians hockey party at the Muse bar and I am going with my wife and her friend so it should be a good night. Last picture today is a picture of the wife and I at game 6 of the Asia league finals with my new team Canada Salt Lake City Olympics jersey which I bought at the arena.I can’t wait for the playoffs to start and the Bruins to get to the finals,Go Bruins Go!!!!!!!

Asia league playoffs and All Japan Championships

Hi all this has been awhile but I have been busy moving,we are in 2 houses right now.We finally move out of the old place on March 8th Sunday.Hockeywise it has been very busy in Japan,last month was the all Japan championships.I was only able to make it to one of the first games,it was Hosei university against Bushukan high school from Hokkaido,the university team only won 5-2 .I was impressed by a defenceman on the high school team #88 Nakamoto ,he had 2 points in the game and was a solid dman but a little small.As for Hosei,they had a dman #3 Ishikawa who was big and strong but it is not too hard to be tough against high school players. Here are pics of both the players and the final scoreboard.

Well the winner of the tournament was the Seibu Prince Rabbits in their final season ever, they beat the Nippon Paper Cranes in the final 6-5 in a very exciting game.

Next the Asia league playoffs have started and the Nippon Paper Cranes beat High1 in the first round 2-0 in a best of 5 series.The Seibu Prince Rabbits have moved into the finals with a 4 game sweep of the Oji Eagles which I was surprised by because the Eagles are the defending Asia League champs but Seibu is on a mission to win in their final season in the league because they are folding as Seibu has pulled their sponsorship of the club.The other semifinals series is a great one,Anyang Halla has a 3-2 lead in the series as it moves back to Korea for the final 2 games if needed.I hope that Nippon Paper comes back and wins the series but it will be hard for them in the opponent’s rink.

Fantasy and hockey pool update,well in the pool it has been a disaster I have fallen to fourth place as all my players have been playing like minor leaguers and even papa Rog is ahead of me now,it looks like a 2 man race between Jay the minister and Johnny boy who has moved into first place,he has never won the pool so it will be a miracle if he wins.

In Yahoo fantasy I have fallen to second place as Kevin from Toronto has had a great run recently,arrogant Dave from Calgary is in third Johnny boy in 4th,my goalies have kept me in contention and Luongo has finally started to play like the allstar that he is. On the trade front my goon Carcillo has been traded to the Flyers and I hope he can be a Broad Street bully like Dave “the Hammer “Schultz and Bobby Clarke.I hope I can at least finish in second ahead of arrogant Dave.

Finally in the NHL the big bad Bruins have fallen out of first overall as the Detroit Dead Wings took over top spot today,they are 1 point ahead of the Bruins and the Sharks.The Bruins made 2 trades at the deadline picking up oldtimer Mark Recchi from the Tampa Bay Lightning ,he has 2 Stanley Cup rings so I hope he still has some life in left in his legs and he can chip in a few goals and assists in the playoffs.The other trade was picking up Steve Montador a solid stay at home dman from the Ducks for Peteri Nokelainen,he also has a ring he won with the Ducks.

Well the move is almost finished I have to find a new internet provider,might upgrade to the 1GB super high speed internet woo hoo.More news soon about the Asia League championship series.