Ryan Kuwabara is a key member of Japan's national ice hockey team currently playing at the Pool A World Championships in Sweden. Kuwabara, a Japanese-Canadian who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens and now stars for Japan Ice Hockey League champion Kokudo, has agreed once again to keep a journal chronicling some of the team's experiences.
Today we play the Czech Republic, a team that has won the World Championship the last two years. We know it will be a tough game but that is the only way our team is going to get better -- by playing the best teams in the world.
Our day started off with an optional practice at noon, where all the guys come to the rink and tape up their sticks, stretch or go onto the ice to shoot pucks at the goalies.