Team
Japan at the World Championships
Qualifying
Round, Game 1- Sweden 5 Japan 1
Not surprisingly Sweden had
no trouble defeating Japan in their opening game.
At the start of the game however Sweden and the
fans on hand were shocked when Japan's Suzuki scored
the games first goal a little over 3 minutes in.
Sweden quickly regrouped and took control of the
game. One bright spot was the play of GK Yuatak
Fukufuji. Fukufuji stopped 40 shots in his first
ever World Championship action.
Game 2- Denmark 4
Japan 3
Japan came out a loser in
a very even game when with both teams tied at 3
Japanese defenseman Sugahara acidentally scored
an own goal after Fukufuji had been faked out by
a Denmark player. Sugahara collapsed on the ice
in shock and didn't get up for a full minute. Until
that point it was a great back and fourth game.
After Demark took a 1-0 lead in the 1st goals by
Miwa and Kobori gave Japan a 2-1 lead. Denmark tied
it up late in the 1st. Early in the second DF Kobori
surprised everyone with another goal to give Japan
a 3-2 lead. Once again Denmark tied it before heading
to the 3rd. Japan almost tied the game in the last
few seconds but time ran out as the puck went it.
Game 3- Russia 6 Japan
1
The result of this game was
pretty much determined when Russia scored on their
first 3 shots to lead 3-0 with less than 5 minutes
in. After Russia scored again around the 10 minute
mark Chris Yule scored his first goal of the tournament
to give the Japan fans something to celebrate. After
the first part of the game GK Jiro Nihei settled
down allowing only 2 goals the rest of the game.
With the loss Japan booked their ticket to the relagation
round where they would battle it out to determine
which two teams drop down to division 1 for next
year's World Championships.
Regulation Round-
Game 1 Japan 2 Ukraine 2
Japan got off to a solid start
in the relagation round with a thrilling come from
behind 2-2 tie. GK Fukufuji was brilliant stopping
countless chances limiting Ukraine to 1 goal in
the first two periods. Even though Japan was badly
out shot (35-15 at one point) they managed to tie
the game 1-1 on a goal by DF Joel Oshiro Dyck with
a little less than 5 minutes to go. Unfortunately
just a short time later Ukraine scored on a breakaway
to give the former Soviet country a 2-1 lead. It
looked like it was going to be just another tragic
loss for Japan when, with Fukufuji off for the extra
attacker, Chris Bright scored with just 26 seconds
left to tie the game. Bright also assisted on the
earlier goal by Japan. Fukufuji finished with 37
saves as Japan was outshot 39 to 19. With the point
Japan took a very important step toward qualifying
for next year's World Championships.
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