TSHA at the Korea Cup 2009

The TSHA started this year’s Korea tournament in less-than-stellar fashion, dropping 6 – 1 to the Selects on a cloudy Seoul morning. Following a team meeting that lasted the entire interval between games, the TSHA came out much better against the Geckos, but still fell 3 – 1. In game three, TSHA took on the All-Drinkers, a band of pink-clad drunks, and pulled out a 4 – 0 shutout by taking advantage of some miscues that should have really gone the other way. This win was enough, however, to propel TSHA out of the first round and into the quarter finals, despite dropping the final game of the opening round in a close-fought outing with rain beginning to make things a bit slick. 

In the quarterfinals TSHA faced off against pool-B top seed Suwon, winner of the past three cups and one of the favorites to win this year. With the rain coming down and large puddles forming, the TSHA came out strong with Sean opening the scoring and giving TSHA the lead. Suwon was not to give up, however, and came back to tie it up a few minutes later. By this point the conditions had worsened, and despite this playing to TSHA’s strength as “mudders”, Dave went down hard and had to leave the game with a broken wrist. At the whistle, the teams were tied at one a piece and faced a shootout.  

Gord led off for the TSHA, shooting first, but getting stopped by the Suwon goalie. Suwon then scored on their first attempt. Chad answered on TSHA’s second shot, holding on to the ball to the last second before putting it in. Suwon’s Scott succumbed to the wet conditions and failed to find the back of the net. Sean for TSHA came down and dribbled the ball through the legs of the Suwon goalie to put TSHA up 2 – 1 in the shootout. Eric then came up with another big save and TSHA knocked Suwon from the competition.  

In the semi-finals the Selects and TSHA faced each other again. Conditions on the rink continued to decline, with small ponds forming in the corners and along the boards. Clearing attempts and shots were often accompanied by sprays of water. Perhaps needless to say, it was a very different game from the first meeting of these two teams. Slipping and sliding, the Selects managed a goal, and were able to hold on to the lead. With only a few seconds left, TSHA was putting the pressure on, and Chad was able to pull the ball away from a diving Selects goalie behind the net, but TSHA could not get a handle on it in the crowd in front of the net and the Selects were able to clear it out to the red line as time expired. The Selects would go on to defeat the Geckos in the finals to secure the Cup.

More photographs and details of ther tournament are to be found on the Tokyo Street Hockey Association website.