Some say it is the biggest surprise of the Stanley Cup Playoffs' opening week.
Whenever the defending Stanley Cup champions find themselves going on the road down two games to none in the opening round, it has to be somewhat of a surprise.
Yet five minutes into the opening period of game one, you could see it coming.
Dallas won five of eight games from Anaheim in the regular season, and although the Ducks won the final two matchups -- games that came during the Stars' late-season slide -- the Stars clearly know something about their opponents.
Last season, the Ducks rode the strength of their checking line of Sami Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer, and Travis Moen to the franchise's first Stanley Cup. Yet in the first two shifts, Pahlsson was hit no less than three times. The stellar Swede is used to being the hitter and not the hittee, but this series would be different.
It continued throughout the first two games. Typically matched up against Brendan Morrow's line, Morrow led the physical charge against Anaheim's most physical line, rendering the checking line ineffective.
From the first shot on goal, it was clear the Stars had goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere figured out as well. Giguere is a classic butterfly goaltender, which often tempts shooters to go for the briefly available five-hole. Yet Giguere's weakness tends to be high, particularly to the blocker side.
Two of Dallas' first three goals went high to the blocker side, and the Stars shot high on Giguere all night.
Yes, these Stars have the Ducks figured out. Seven wins in ten games is more than a trend -- it's a sign the defending champs are in trouble.
Anaheim has played a strict defensive system all year, one based on structure and positioning. At the same time, the offensive system is stifling and unentertaining -- and veteran center Doug Weight essentially said so in the days leading to the playoffs.
The system is based neither on passion nor creativity and features a dump-and-chase style as the primary offensive option. Against this Dallas squad, the system does not work. The Stars have an underrated and physical defensive corps, and more often than not, Dallas has had little trouble winning the battles in their own zone.
The way to score against Dallas might be to engage in a run-and-gun style of play, one where teams trade odd-man rushes and scoring chances. Yet the Ducks have shown a disdain for that style of play this season, so one can only wonder if they will adjust Tuesday night.
Marty Turco has been solid between the pipes for Dallas, but he has not had to face many second shots. Dallas owned the defensive slot in the first two games, giving up very few chances there and allowing even fewer rebounds.
Anaheim has a reputation for getting in the goaltender's face -- some would say they get away with a lot of goaltender interference -- but that has been less prevalent without Corey Perry in the lineup. And with Rob Niedermayer -- once referred to as the human missle -- unlikely to play Tuesday with an "upper body injury," the Ducks will need to find another way to get under Turco's skin.
Unless the Ducks are willing to open it up in game three, do not count on anything changing. Anaheim plays a rope-a-dope style of play -- they like to sit back in the neutral zone, play a 1-2-2, and then utilize the dump and chase when they are on offense. For all the talk of Anaheim's forechecking style, the truth is, they often back off quickly once they lose possession in the offensive zone.
In other words, they are playing a passive game. Dallas has played a far more aggressive, attacking style in the first two games, and they have the wins to show.
Unless the Ducks figure out the Stars the same way Dallas has figured out Anaheim, it could be fall before hockey returns to the Honda Center. The personnel is certainly in place for Anaheim to change their style, but the question is, will that be the game plan?
Hockey fans like to think tradition is important in our sport. While other sports such as basketball and football cater to the flavor of the day, hockey is built on decades of tradition.
We have our own terminologies, many of which have come under assault in recent years. The traditional hockey term of dressing rooms has been replaced by the unoriginal term locker rooms. Center ice has been replaced by the neutral zone. Two-on-ones and three-on-twos have been replaced by the generic term odd-man rushes. And perhaps worst of all, the boards are starting to become known as the wall, especially in non-traditional markets.
It is enough to make a hockey fan scream.
However, if a hockey fan screams and nobody can hear it over the too-loud arena music, does the scream really exist?
Over-the-top game presentation has long been a trademark of the National Basketball Association, and while critics have praised the league for their marketing, NBA ratings and interest are a fraction of what they were a decade ago.
Sadly, this type of game presentation is creeping into our game, and fans must voice their opinion to stop the spread.
Last weekend should have been one of the greatest moments in recent Chicago Blackhawks history. The team is playing well behind rookie sensations Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and Sunday’s game against Detroit launched a new era of home games being televised on local television.
Yet the big story came in the area of game presentation. Longtime organist Frank Pelico was largely absent from the weekend’s games, his duties being limited to the national anthem and post-game proceedings.
Anyone over the age of 25 who grew up as a hockey fan associates the organ with Chicago hockey. While the pipe organ did not make its way from Chicago Stadium to the United Center, organ music stayed a big part of the Blackhawks. While other teams shunned organ music for recorded music, the Hawks stayed traditional.
Ironically, now that many teams are featuring more organ music than they have in recent years, Pelico finds himself watching games as a spectator. Hawks fans are understandably outraged, flooding message boards, blogs, and the front office with complaints.
Southern California’s two NHL franchises demonstrate the radical differences between various arenas when it comes to game presentation. While the Los Angeles Kings take a traditional approach to game presentation, the Anaheim Ducks feature a nightclub atmosphere – something most people outgrow before they reach 30.
The Kings start with a great introduction on their 2400-inch ICE TV, also known as an on-ice projector. The accompanying music by Hans Zimmer and Linkin Park – played at reasonable volumes – provide the perfect accompaniment to the visuals.
Once the game starts, the game presentation stays top-notch. Organist Dieter Ruehle, who was the organist at the last two Olympics, leads the crowd in traditional yells such as “Go Kings Go.” He does a great job of mixing classics like Kalinka or Hava Nagila with modern adaptations of bands such as U2 or Green Day. Ruehle maintains at least a 50/50 ratio of organ music to recorded music, and both are played at reasonable levels.
Thirty miles southeast at Honda Center, the assault on the senses is impossible to avoid. The introduction music is played way beyond the capabilities of the sound system, making the music painfully loud and virtually impossible to understand. While this is happening, a couple of dozen spotlights move in a fast, haphazard manner across the ice, creating a sense of motion sickness.
Sadly, the presentation gets no better once the game begins. While the music stays too loud and the organist adds too many Disneyland-esque drum rolls in most songs, the spotlights return far too frequently. When the spotlights are thankfully reduced, several migrane-inducing strobe lights are used in conjunction with the music at most whistles. The result is an atmosphere that resembles a WWE event or a teen-oriented nightclub, but certainly not a hockey game.
As someone who has spent most of his life in traditional hockey environments, there is no question which arena is more appealing. And the California market is more savvy than the Ducks seem to give it credit. Many, if not most, hockey fans in the region are transplants from traditional markets. If I had a dollar for every time one of these transplants told me they will not go to Ducks games because of the distracting game presentation, I might have enough money to buy the team and change the game presentation myself.
While no other NHL arena – certainly not the United Center – approaches the distraction level of the Honda Center, the loss of another hockey tradition in the sake of modernization would be a travesty.
Rocky Wirtz has done many things right since assuming leadership in Chicago. He would be wise to do one more thing right – bring back Pelico.
"Just stop enough of the limitless critical comments on my life, just drop the judgement and all the pseudo-involvement in my life." -- Disturbed, "Just Stop."
It is unlikely the band knew Brian Burke when they wrote the song, which is ironically played at most Anaheim Ducks home games, but it could not be any more appropriate.
Just ask Kevin Lowe.
Or, for that matter, anyone else who is tired of the gong show in Anaheim.
At one point, the bombastic general manager of the Anaheim Ducks was entertaining. He seemed to be a breath of fresh air, a bit of honesty, a front office man with an entertainment factor.
That seems like such a long time ago.
Yes, Burke presided over last year's Stanley Cup championship squad, so it seems a bit odd to criticize him at this point. However, at a certain point, it is hard to take anymore.
Like most people who grew up in Canada or the United States' hockey belt, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the game. I also have a tremendous amount of respect for the people in the game, so writing a column criticizing anyone who has reached this level is not something I aim to do.
Having said that -- Burke, please quit talking.
And while you are at it, please show some of that aforementioned respect to your colleagues.
At some point, it goes from entertaining and honest to self-centered and bombastic. That line seemed to be crossed months ago, but if there was any question, just look at his recent interview on TSN.
"If I had run my team into the sewer like that I wouldn't throw a grenade at the other 29 teams and my own indirectly," Burke told TSN's James Duthie. "So I have no intention of speaking to him anytime soon."
Burke went on to say would not even talk to Lowe if he wanted to talk trade with the Oilers later in the season, saying assistant GM Bob Murray would contact the Oilers.
Don't bother. There's no reason for Lowe to listen to anything coming from Anaheim at this point.
The comment that Lowe has run the team into the sewer is absurd. For years, Lowe found a way to get the low-budget Oilers into the playoffs, even at a time when the loonie dipped as low as 61 cents U.S.
In the 2005-06 season, Lowe's Oilers came one game away from winning the Stanley Cup. The next year, they found themselves a few points out of the playoff picture at the trade deadline, and at that point, the wheels indeed came off.
Without their top two goal scorers from last season, as well as Scott Niedermayer, there is no guarantee the same thing will not happen to Anaheim this year, which makes Burke’s comments even more odd. Still, the Oilers could easily be playoff-bound once again this year, thanks to rookies like Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano, as well as free-agent additions such as Sheldon Souray, Joni Pitkanen, and.... Dustin Penner.
Of course, the latter is the cause for Burke's comments. Burke flew off the handle when Lowe offered Penner -- a restricted free agent -- a five-year offer sheet worth $4.3 million per year.
In rejecting the chance to match the offer sheet, Burke said he would be as stupid as the guy who made the offer if he matched the offer.
Keep in mind Penner had 29 goals last season. Burke gave $4 million per year to Todd Bertuzzi, a similar player to Penner, except he had just 3 goals last season and is battling chronic back injuries.
It is very hard to understand why Burke thinks Lowe's offer was stupid, given his signing of Bertuzzi at that amount. Yet somehow, this is not surprising.
Burke has made some off the wall comments in the past, such as defending Donald Brashear's taunting of the opposition bench after scoring a goal. Burke said after the incident Brashear had done nothing wrong and if people did not like that, to pass a rule against excessive celebration.
As is so often the case, he missed the point. Celebrating goals is part of hockey -- thankfully, this is not the No Fun League (NFL). Taunting is not. But Burke failed to grasp the lack of class in Brashear's actions.
Ironically, Brashear's taunting of the Boston bench a few months later helped lead to the infamous incident involving him and Marty McSorley.
On an interview with Home Ice XM 204 last season, Burke defended his decision to vote against meaningful change to the NHL schedule. He said the team polled season ticket holders, and there was "only" 16 percentage point difference between those who wanted change and those who did not.
Last time I looked, 16 percentage points was pretty overwhelming.
At the same time, Burke went on TSN and said he strongly opposed every team going to every arena every year -- the only solution that pleases most fans. The next night, he went on the Ducks' pre-game show on FSN Prime Ticket and said the fans wanted change and he definitely wanted some kind of change.
Which is it, Brian? You keep opposing every team in every arena, saying the most you will go to is seeing teams from the opposite conference every other year in each arena. Yet you seem to indicate to the home fans you favor meaningful change.
Perhaps something is being lost in the translation. Half the Eastern teams in the West every year is not meaningful change -- it is only two or three more games against the other conference. And that is not meaningful by any standards.
In the current situation with Lowe, Burke simply does not make sense. Yes, Burke won the Stanley Cup last year, and he seems rightfully aware. But it was far from all Burke -- a lot of the credit goes to former GM Bryan Murray.
Burke inherited an organization with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Andy McDonald, Chris Kunitz (who actually left through waivers and was claimed back under Burke), and perhaps most importantly, Rob Niedermayer.
Scott Niedermayer signed with the Ducks largely because of his brother's presence. The brothers are very close, and Rob was the one without a Stanley Cup. Winning a Stanley Cup with his brother completed the elder Niedermayer's career, and many feel he would have signed anywhere his brother was playing.
Burke did a good job in dumping salaries such as Sergei Fedorov, Petr Sykora, and Sandis Ozolinsh, and the Chris Pronger trade worked out well. Yet once again, Anaheim would not likely have been on Pronger's list of potential teams had it not been for the ground work done prior to Burke's arrival.
Unfortunately, too much of the time, it all seems to be about Burke. What other organization can say their highest profile person is not a player or a coach, but rather, a general manager?
If Todd Bertuzzi signed in Anaheim thinking a low pressure, quiet, hockey outpost would be a comfortable situation to get his career back on track, he may be sadly mistaken.
Thursday morning, the Ducks chose not to match Edmonton's five-year, $21.5 million offer sheet for Dustin Penner, the man many consider to be the next Bertuzzi.
Even Ducks general manager Brian Burke, in between comments that his (former?) friend Kevin Lowe was "stupid" -- apparently "gutless" and "classless" were not enough -- admitted Bertuzzi's signing put the Ducks in a tough position when it comes to resigning Penner.
Bertuzzi signed for $8 million over two years -- just $125,000 less per season than Penner's offer sheet.
Last season, Bertuzzi played 15 games, scoring two goals and adding 8 assists for 11 points.
Penner played all 82 games, scoring 29 goals and adding 16 assists for 45 points.
Yet all along, it was clear Burke would sign Bertuzzi. After the 2005-06 season, Burke hinted to season ticket holders at the select-a-seat he would go after Bertuzzi when he was an unrestricted free agent. Although he said he could not say much because of tampering, his intentions were clear.
Bertuzzi had five solid seasons for Burke in Vancouver, including a career high 97 points in 2002-03, but his career has been derailed by injuries since the lockout. Most troubling, the biggest problem has been his back, an injury that often fails to heal completely.
For $1 million plus incentives, Bertuzzi would be a good signing. For $4 million per season -- nearly as much as Teemu Selanne made the past two seasons combined while scoring 98 goals -- the contract made no sense at the time.
And now, the man who seemed ready to take Bertuzzi's torch as one of the game's better finesse power forwards -- if there is such a thing -- was essentially let go because of Bertuzzi's signing.
Oh sure, many will say there is no correlation. But look at the numbers -- Bertuzzi is locked up for two years. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are restricted free agents after next season, and after watching their linemate get a huge payday, do not count on either of them signing before July 1.
If Burke matched the Penner offer sheet, he could be put in the position of losing one, or both, of the other two young stars if an offer sheet came their way next summer. After all, Bertuzzi's money -- as well as the money of 38-year-old defenseman Mathieu Schneider (two years, $11.25 million) -- will still be on the books at the time.
Most of Anaheim's contracts last beyond the end of this coming season, so Burke had little option but to let Penner walk.
After the Bertuzzi signing, that is.
Nobody wishes ill will on Bertuzzi, and most Ducks fans are hoping he finds his form of the early part of the decade. Yet by the same token, Burke has lost several of the blue chip prospects he inherited when he took the reins two years ago.
Joffrey Lupul -- gone in the Chris Pronger trade. This one made sense, as the chance to get Pronger was irresistible.
Shane O'Brien -- traded for a mid-to-late first round draft pick.
Penner -- lost to an offer sheet.
Many are saying Penner will be under intense pressure in Edmonton, and they point to Lupul as an example. After a 28 goal campaign in Anaheim, Lupul scored just 16 goals and tallied 28 points with the Oilers last season.
Lupul was sent to Philadelphia for Joni Pitkanen, and many feel Penner could follow suit by failing to live up to expectations. However, there is no relevant comparison.
Lupul is an Edmonton boy, and his grandfather is even a minority owner of the Oilers. The pressure of playing in your hometown can be overwhelming anywhere, but in Edmonton, the pressure is ratcheted up a few notches.
Edmonton is a hockey town with incredible tradition. Players will be recognized everywhere they go, and playing there is like playing in a fish bowl. To be honest, it is an incredible environment and is one of the best places to play in the NHL.
Sure, the weather gets a little chilly and there is a lot of travel involved, but it is an intense hockey environment.
But for Lupul, the environment may have been a little too intense. In addition to being a highly touted local, Lupul was viewed as the key cog the Oilers received for Pronger. A pressure packed situation for anyone, never mind a 23-year-old hometown boy.
Penner hails from Winkler, Manitoba, a prairie town best known for cold weather and a strong Mennonite community. He is used to the weather and the culture of the area, but he does not have the hometown pressure -- not to mention, he is completely separate from the Pronger deal.
It is hard not to be happy for Penner. A young player who could not even make his local junior team, he went to a small junior college in Bottineau, North Dakota, and then played a year at the University of Maine before being signed to an entry level contract by Anaheim.
Now, he is incredibly wealthy, a young emerging superstar, and is on top of the world.
North America loves success stories and self-made people. Penner fits the bill as well as anyone.
Regardless of what Burke says about Lowe's recent performance, the fact is, the Oilers always find a way to be competitive. Two bad months at the end of last season seem to have made people forget about the Western Conference Championship the previous year.
Not to mention years of impressive playoff berths while the Oilers struggled financially, in large part because of the then-weak Canadian dollar.
The Oilers are no longer a small-market team. Their revenues were reported to be seventh of the league's 30 teams last season, and the loonie is nearing par with the American greenback.
Everyone has seemingly written off the Oilers for next year, but never count out an Edmonton squad. It is a hockey town, and hockey towns produce consistently strong hockey teams.
It was not desperation on Edmonton's part that landed Penner in Oil Country. Rather, it is a commitment to win, and a commitment to win now.
And suddenly, those Anaheim-Edmonton tilts appear nearly as compelling as they appeared last year at this time.
As is so often the case, it did not have to come to this.
Anaheim general manager Brian Burke did not have to be faced with the $21.5 million question of the day. Match Edmonton's five-year offer for Dustin Penner -- at an average cap hit of $4.3 million per year -- or walk away from the player who scored 29 goals as a rookie last season.
With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry set to become restricted free agents next summer, Burke faces quite a dilemma. Sign Penner for $4.3 million per year, and you not only set a high bar for the other duo, but you face issues getting under the salary cap.
Once again, it did not have to come to this.
To look at where this all began, head back a little more than a year ago. The Oilers defeated the Ducks in the Western Conference Finals, largely because of a blueliner named Chris Pronger. Penner was one of the bright spots for Anaheim in the series.
After Edmonton lost to Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals, Pronger went public with his request to be traded out of Edmonton. A few days later, the Ducks acquired the 6'6" rearguard.
In the post-trade comments, Burke called Edmonton general manager Kevin Lowe "an ornery cuss." It is hard to tell whether Burke was kidding or legitimately upset with Lowe at the time, but the comment seemed strange given the circumstances.
A few weeks later, Anaheim defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski received a one-year, $1.55 million award in an arbitration hearing. Vishnevski, who had a solid 2005-06 campaign, made $1.14 million the previous season. The Ducks had reportedly offered a significant salary reduction to less than $1 million per year, despite Vishnevski's solid season.
When the decision came in at what seemed to be a very reasonable amount, Burke hit the roof. He faxed the other 29 NHL teams to let them know Vishnevski was available, which essentially killed his trade value. Todd Diamond, Vishnevski's agent, told the Orange County Register his client wanted to be traded, as the Ducks were unnecessarily harsh during the arbitration meeting.
The Ducks eventually traded Vishnevski to Atlanta for Karl Stewart, a second-round draft pick, and a conditional fourth-round draft pick. But the message was sent.
Burke was in charge. Do not take the team to arbitration -- you will not like the results.
Another stern message was sent prior to the trade deadline, when standout rookie blueliner Shane O'Brien was dealt to Tampa Bay for a first round draft choice. The trade made little sense, as the Ducks were aiming to win now, not later, and O'Brien seemed to be a big part of the present plan.
Burke also said he would not trade any of the young guys at the deadline, and even went as far as to say he lived up to his word. Yet to many observers, O'Brien was a young player on par with the likes of Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner.
After the trade, O'Brien told the CBC he was glad to be in a more free-wheeling system, noting he was told to chip out the puck and not go below the faceoff circles in Anaheim. Whether anything else was said behind the scenes is unknown, but the trading of O'Brien made absolutely no sense on the surface.
With Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne contemplating retirement following the season, the Ducks suddenly found themselves in a tough situation. After dealing two solid rearguards in O'Brien and Vishnevski, Burke needed to do something to shore up the back end. He signed Mathieu Schneider to a two-year, $11.25 million deal.
Burke was not done, as he surprised the hockey world by signing Todd Bertuzzi to a two-year, $8 million contract days later. Bertuzzi was arguably the league's best power forward in his prime, but injuries have taken a toll, and he has not been the same player since the lockout.
When Selanne -- a long-time fan favorite in Anaheim -- rejoined the team under similar circumstances in 2005, he was signed to a $1 million contract. Over the last two years combined, Selanne has made only about as much as Bertuzzi will in one season -- and Selanne topped the 40 goal mark each season.
The numbers for Bertuzzi seemed high, and the Schneider signing might not have been necessary if the Ducks had held onto O'Brien and Vishnevski. With the team nearing their budget, Penner fell to the backburner.
And he was there for a long time. Twenty-six days, to be exact. For nearly four weeks, Burke gambled nobody would put an offer on the native of Winkler, Manitoba. Even when Lowe offered restricted free agent Thomas Vanek an offer sheet that would pay him more than $7 million per season, the Ducks did nothing.
Arbitration was not an option. After showing his contempt with the process last summer, Burke was in no position to offer arbitration. Penner, for his part, was likely tentative to file for arbitration after seeing how things worked out for Vishnevski.
That came back to bite Burke and the Ducks. If either side had filed for arbitration, that would have taken Penner off the market. A team cannot sign a player to an offer sheet with arbitration pending.
Thursday morning, Lowe offered Penner a five-year, $21.5 million deal. Considering the history between the franchises -- particularly with the Pronger trade -- and Lowe's attempt to sign Vanek, this offer sheet was anything but a surprise.
Now the Ducks find themselves in a tough situation. Signing Penner at that cost does not seem like a viable option. Not with Niedermayer's status up in the air. Not with big contracts being added in the form of Schneider and Bertuzzi -- deals that span two seasons. Not with Getzlaf and Perry being restricted free agents next summer.
The Ducks let O'Brien go for a first round pick, which was clearly below market value. At this point, it seems they have little choice but to let Penner go for a first, second, and third round pick -- the price the Oilers would have to pay for signing an RFA.
One thing is for sure -- it did not have to come to this. And it should not have.
The wheels are not falling off just yet, but Anaheim fans are learning the celebratory period following a Stanley Cup can be disturbingly brief.
Eschewing tradition, the Anaheim Ducks did not hold a Stanley Cup parade, opting instead for a rally in the south parking lot of the Honda Center.
Turns out, it was not such a bad move.
An estimated crowd of 15,000 was getting antsy as the festivities began an hour after the scheduled time of 6:30 p.m. To make matters worse, the warm-up band that filled in for more than 40 minutes was less than stellar, even mispronouncing Jean-Sebastien Giguere's name as "gee-gar" -- rhyming with cigar.
A handful of fans actually headed to the exits before the party started, but the vast majority who stuck it out on a picture-perfect California evening were rewarded.
The team arrived on the top of a double-decker style bus -- they were riding on the open-air top-level -- from a location behind JT Schmid's around 7:30 p.m. Katella Boulevard was closed to traffic as the bus drove a couple of blocks down Katella before entering the south end of the parking lot.
As the players were about to depart the bus, an Anaheim Police helicopter buzzed the crowd. The Stanley Cup, along with Scott Niedermayer, Rob Niedermayer, and Chris Pronger were on board.
No word on whether the Stanley Cup was missing its two closest friends, as Mike Bolt and Phil Pritchard -- better known as the keepers of the cup -- were not along because of space restrictions.
Rob Niedermayer emerged with the Stanley Cup, while brother Scott carried the Conn Smythe Trophy and Pronger brought the Clarence Campbell Bowl. The trophies -- along with the team -- entered via a red carpet lined with cheering fans.
As the team entered, popular SoCal-based band Pennywise played Bro Hymn, better known as the Ducks' goal music. The song continued through the roughly 10 minutes it took for the team to reach the stage, which certainly qualifies it as the extended version.
Once the festivities started, things were just as entertaining. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attended, giving a short, entertaining speech.
Schwarzenegger told the crowd after the first win, the Ducks commented, "we'll be back." After the second win, "we'll be back." After the third win, "we'll be back."
And Wednesday night, Schwarzenegger reasoned, they said "hasta la vista, baby."
Schwarzenegger shook the hands of every Duck -- Chris Kunitz shook with his left hand instead of his injured right hand -- and even received a Stanley Cup-worthy embrace from Brad May.
Several players, Brian Burke, and owner Henry Samueli also spoke at the rally, while television commentator and former NHL goalie Brian Hayward led the proceedings.
As the sun set, the Pond was lit in orange lights to illuminate the three Stanley Cup banners on the outside of the building. Once the speeches were over, fireworks were set off on the east side of the building while players again took turns lifting the Stanley Cup.
The spectacular setting seemed worthy of the offical welcome of the greatest trophy in sports to California. As the first California team to win hockey's holy grail, the sight of palm trees swaying in the breeze and fireworks as a backdrop seemed the perfect complement to the Stanley Cup.
Unfortunately, nearly 20 million Southern Californians chose to stay away on this evening.
It was their loss.
For the 15,000 who were present, the sight of the Stanley Cup transcended team loyalties or any other differences. Whether those in attendance were Ducks fans, Kings fans, or hockey fans in general, it was an evening to remember.
Sunday night at Anaheim Ice, the Thunderchickens defeated Le Doog 4-1 in a chippy and entertaining affair.
Odds are, you have not heard of either of these teams. The clubs play in the Gold Division of the Anaheim Ice Adult Hockey League, but they have something in common with the Stanley Cup Champions.
You see, Anaheim Ice is the practice rink of the Anaheim Ducks, who recently became the first California-based team to win the Stanley Cup. And here we were four days later, on a warm June evening, watching two groups of people play the game for the love of the game.
These two teams are not alone. Like most of the rinks in Southern California, Anaheim Ice stays active from the pre-dawn hours until late into the evening. The Gold Division alone has ten teams, and it is just one of nine divisions in the AIAHL.
It would seem Gary Bettman was right when he said hockey was alive and well in California.
At the same time as the Thunderchickens and Le Doog were battling, one would think the Anaheim area -- Orange County and Southern California as a whole -- was basking in the glory of winning the world's most prestigious trophy.
A couple of miles north of Anaheim Ice, a large Sports Authority is part of a big box center. As a major sports retailer that sells much licensed apparel, you would think it would be a natural place to buy Stanley Cup Championship merchandise.
Think again.
No Stanley Cup merchandise was evident, so the presumption would be they were sold out. But a store employee explained out of the few dozen Sports Authority stores in Southern California, only three would bring in any Stanley Cup Championship merchandise.
Sports Authority is not alone. A weekend search showed limited merchandise at Sport Chalet and Chick's Sporting Goods, while most large department stores had no hockey apparel at all.
Even the Ducks' own team store could not be bothered to open at all on Sunday. The team store is traditionally closed on Sunday, but when it is four days after a Stanley Cup victory, it would make sense to extend the hours.
It goes beyond clothing as well. In a full day of wandering around Orange County, with much of that time being spent at stores, restaurants, and bars around the Honda Center, there were few signs the city was home to hockey's holy grail.
The only person witnessed wearing a Ducks shirt was a man at Anaheim Ice who sported a Stanley Cup Champions t-shirt. One car flag and one Ducks sticker were seen during nearly 200 miles of freeway driving in the region. And only one business - an SC Fuels building just east of the Honda Center -- had a sign congratulating or encouraging the Ducks.
In that uniquely Southern California style, the paradox is striking. On one hand, it seems this should be the best of times for SoCal hockey. The Ducks are Stanley Cup champs, and people are choosing to play hockey -- not baseball or other outdoor sports -- in summer.
Yet at the same time, it is very heartbreaking and bittersweet to see the Stanley Cup make less of an impact on the city than it has made on any other city in recent history.
Sure, everyone knows SoCal will never be hockey-crazy. But even Tampa Bay -- a city with less hockey history, warmer weather, and milder beach water than Southern California -- knew how to party when they won the Stanley Cup.
Locals adopted hockey with a sense of civic pride. Lightning merchandise was in every store, people wore team colors, and the city kicked back and partied.
The next year in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, the scene was largely repeated.
This year in Anaheim, it was not like that. By midnight on Wednesday, there was little to no traffic on the streets or in the bars. A VIP tent -- closed to the public and most long-time hockey fans -- went until 6 a.m. But for the average fan, there was no means to celebrate the championship.
Saturday's rally was excellent in many ways, but a strong effort to clear the crowd quickly meant by 9 p.m., the area again felt dead. With streets into the area closed off for the rally, area bars were quiet before 11 p.m.
By Monday, the lone Ducks article in the Orange County Register was back to page 12 of 12 sports pages. In the article, Scott Niedermayer admitted he was considering retirement.
In Toronto, it would have been stop the presses, front-page news.
In Southern California, it was buried well behind an article on the front of the sports section about a local swimmer who posed nude for Playboy.
It is not just the media and local stores that are cause for concern. The ECHL's Long Beach Ice Dogs folded earlier in the spring, leaving the region with no minor league teams. The San Diego Gulls departed the previous season after a successful run in the ECHL and West Coast Hockey League.
The move means there is no affordable level of professional hockey in the region. The cost of living is very high in SoCal, and many people cannot afford $80 lower level tickets.
The Ice Dogs only drew a couple of thousand fans per game, but the fans they reached were fans that might not be reached by the NHL. Since the team's demise, many fans commented on how they got into hockey through the more affordable Ice Dogs.
The Ducks expect to have 14,500 season tickets next season and anticipate selling out all 41 home games. Yet minor league hockey has evaporated in the area, media coverage continues to dwindle, and the Stanley Cup caused only a brief stir.
As the Eagles said in the famous song Hotel California, "This could be heaven, or this could be hell."
There is one thing that really hits you when you see the Stanley Cup in person, and it is even more evident at the end of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The silver chalice has quite a presence.
The uninformed could walk into a room with the Stanley Cup, have no idea what hockey is, and recognize the trophy is something special.
Wednesday night in Anaheim, more than 17,000 people experienced that feeling. For a small handful, it was even more significant.
The image of Scott Niedermayer handing the Stanley Cup to his brother, Rob, has been played across North America. When Scott's New Jersey Devils defeated Rob's Ducks in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, he described the feeling as bittersweet.
Even his own mother was not happy, as she wanted Rob to win, reasoning Scott had already won two Stanley Cups.
There was no confliction this time, as nhl.com's Frozen Moment for Thursday proves. The two brothers and their mother, Carol, pose with the Stanley Cup.
One big, happy family.
In the post-game celebration, the Stanley Cup then went to one big, happy blueliner. Chris Pronger, who has been a lightning rod in virtually every NHL city over the past few seasons, lifted the cup over his head -- which meant it was about a foot higher off the ice than when most players do so.
What makes Pronger's standard feat of lifting the cup more impressive is the revelation he played the final two periods with a separated shoulder. As the Versus commercial said, his shoulder was separated, but he lifted it with his heart.
From there, it was well-liked Teemu Selanne who got his moment with the cup. There is much speculation Selanne will hang up the skates and go out a winner, and if he does, the enduring image of the Finnish Flash will be with hockey's holy grail raised above his head.
Few athletes have been more popular in the region than the outgoing Selanne, and the "Win it for Teemu" rally cry had become very popular among locals in recent weeks.
Sean O'Donnell, Brad May, Todd Marchant, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Andy McDonald, and the rest of the Ducks all took their turns with the Stanley Cup in the following minutes. Once the skate was over, the Ducks took dozens of pictures with their families in a celebration that extended more than 90 minutes.
When the cup finally left the Pond through the southwest club seat entrance minutes before midnight, it made an appearance in a VIP tent in the Honda Center parking lot. The bittersweet moment was watching dozens of non-VIP fans -- you know, the ones who actually pay for their tickets -- look wistfully as the Stanley Cup was wisked by them and into the heavily guarded tent.
For the average fan, unfortunately, there was not a lot of option for celebration. While the VIP tent was going strong at midnight, virtually all area bars had closed and traffic was no heavier than a typical Wednesday evening.
As far as those who were in the arena, the Anaheim crowd was great in the series, taking their volume to a level never previously reached in a Southern California rink. And some people in the city certainly caught Ducks fever.
Still, it was disheartening to look around at midnight and see the streets quiet. Even 90 minutes after the game, there were only a small handful -- less than ten -- cars cruising Katella Boulevard. Those fans made up for lack of numbers with great enthusiasm, but it did not feel like a city that had just won a top-level championship.
Thursday morning, hockey fans woke to the Ducks being the lead story in the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register. There will be no parade, but a rally in the Honda Center parking lot -- ironically, in virtually the same place as the VIP tent -- will be held Saturday night. There will not be 1 million-plus as Detroit drew, or the 400,000 who attended the parade in a much-smaller Denver metro area.
And there certainly will not be the millions who would attend a Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup parade.
For the tens of thousands who will be there, however, they will not mind. For at least a few days, the center of the hockey world is in Southern California.
Southern California -- for once, it's about the Ducks.
And hockey.
In Southern California, hockey fans often feel like they simply do not belong. The Lakers and Dodgers win championships routinely, even if it's been nearly two decades for the latter. Even the Angels have a World Series to their name, and they are a franchise considered cursed by many fans.
Sure, the Kings made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993 and the Ducks made it a decade later. Wayne Gretzky played in SoCal and still has a home in the area.
Yet it has never been about hockey. The game has been relegated to the back pages of the sports section, highlights are non-existant on television, and Ducks clothing is rare on city streets.
All the more reason for fans to enjoy what is at hand. For only the second time in history, a SoCal team has a chance to win the Stanley Cup Wednesday night.
And for the first time, the game will be in Southern California.
Do not be confused -- this series is not over. In fact, it is far from over. Any player or coach will tell you the fourth win is the toughest to get in a best-of-seven series, and Ottawa won the Eastern Conference for a reason.
Still, it does not matter. For the next week, this is your time. This is the time for hockey fans to control this region of 20 million people.
Oh sure, everyone knows it will not last, and by July, Vladimir Guerrero will be bigger news than Chris Pronger. Again, it does not matter.
If the Ducks wrap up the series Wednesday night at the Pond -- Ducks play on a Pond, regardless of the arena's new name of Honda Center -- it will touch off a celebration unmatched in the Southern California hockey community.
If the Ducks lose game five, the celebration could come Saturday. And if it goes seven, it could come Monday in a decisive game seven.
Or the celebration could not happen at all. If the Senators win the next three games, it will be Sens' Mile that will be rocking in a week.
Even if that happens, the Ducks have achieved an incredible feat while taking a 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals. The next week will focus around hockey one way or the other, and that is unprecedented in the region.
For once, the Ducks are front page news. No, not front of the sports, but front page. The Orange County Register has a four-page Ducks section wrapped around the front news section the day after every Stanley Cup Finals game, and on occasion, the team has made the front page of the Los Angeles Times.
Local sportscasts all lead with several minutes of Ducks highlights. At least some sports stores -- not as many as you would like, but not bad for the region -- have large displays of Ducks apparel.
When Kobe Bryant debated himself as to whether or not he wanted to stay with some local basketball team -- what's their name again? -- it made only brief news locally.
Yes, for one week, hockey has arrived in Southern California.
Nobody believes this will last long term, yet the Ducks have 14,000 season ticket deposits for next season. Considering the team was reported to be in the range of 5,700 season tickets at the time of the lockout, this is no small feat.
Enjoy it, Southern California hockey fans. It does not matter if you cheer for the Ducks, the Kings, or another team. This is what you have been waiting for.
If only for a week, hockey has arrived in Southern California.
For all the talk of Daniel Alfredsson's goal in game three, the issue of what a distinct kicking motion entails may be a moot point.
After watching the replay dozens of times in super-slow motion on a top-quality HDTV, it appears the puck actually went in off Alfredsson's stick.
Stationed to the left of Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Alfredsson directed the puck towards the net with his skate. When the puck hit Alfredsson's skate, the puck was a couple of inches off the ice. At the highest point, the puck appears to be roughly 18 inches off the ice.
Two camera angles indicate Alfredsson may have got his stick on the puck at this point, although neither is conclusive.
What seems to be conclusive, however, is the direction change the puck takes. From the instant of likely contact, the puck quits angling upward and begins angling downward. The puck enters the net and hits the ice roughly two-thirds of the way between the goal line and the back of the net.
Considering the puck was clearly entering the net on an upward angle until the point of likely contact with Alfredsson's stick, the only way the direction changes is if the puck hits something. The only thing in the area was Alfredsson's stick.
If the puck hits Alfredsson's stick, it is unquestionably a goal.
So, regardless of varying opinions on whether the puck was struck with a distinct kicking motion or not, it appears the league came to the right call.
Listening to the league's rationale of the goal, however, nobody mentions it hit the stick. In many cases, the video review is done in standard definition, where the nuances are not as evident.
For the Stanley Cup Finals, the so-called war room in Toronto is not in use. Instead, the war room staff is sent out to the arenas, and they review the goals in-house. It is uncertain if Scotiabank Place's temporary war room reviews the goals in standard or high definition, but it would be a big step forward if all games were broadcast and reviewed in HD.
That day will come. Hopefully, it is sooner rather than later.
As far as the distinct kicking motion, that is another issue altogether. To many, a distinct kicking motion is what David Beckham does on a corner kick. To others, it means a player turns his foot to guide the puck into the net.
To say the rule is ambiguous is an understatement. In the old days, if it went off a skate, it was no goal. Slowly, it has evolved to the point where it is simply not clear whether or not a goal should count.
Seems like the competition committee might have another topic to discuss this summer.
POST-GAME COVERAGE IN U.S. NON-EXISTANT: Sure, many people complain Versus does not reach enough homes in the United States. Still, the vast majority of people are able to choose a cable or satellite provider that carries the channel, considering FCC regulations prevent condo or home owners associations from prohibiting digital satellite dishes.
Through the first two games of the Stanley Cup, viewers received a 30-minute pre-game show, a 30-minute post game show, and the NHL Network's 60-minute NHL On the Fly show on Versus.
Then comes game three. No pre-game or post-game show on NBC -- not even a single player interview following the game. To make matters worse, NHL On the Fly was not shown on Versus, and it is not scheduled to be shown through the rest of the Stanley Cup Finals.
As a result, American viewers did not see highlights, press conferences, or analysis of game three. Unlike Canadian networks, which do a great job of covering hockey, the NHL is almost invisible on national sports shows in the United States.
Why not switch over to Versus for a pre-game or a post-game show? Why does Versus not continue showing NHL On the Fly, regardless of where the game is televised?
If this is part of the NHL's television package, the league is shortchanging American-based fans. If it is the decision of Versus, the network is shortchanging the league and their fans.
Either way, the fans lose. Unfortunately, it is something that is becoming commonplace for hockey fans residing in the United States.
It is not just the sight of the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill that makes the Ottawa Senators glad to be home for games three and four of the Stanley Cup Finals.
With the home team getting the last change, the Senators will finally be able to get the line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatley away from Anaheim's checking line of Samuel Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer, and Travis Moen.
Through the first two games, the Pahlsson line has not only shut down the Ottawa trio, but they have dominated. In the last game, Pahlsson's 10-2 record on faceoffs meant more often than not, Ottawa's big guns were forced to start the shift in their own end.
Ottawa coach Bryan Murray went as far as to drop Alfredsson to a line with Mike Fisher and Antoine Vermette for parts of the game, and they formed the Sens' most effective line much of the night.
Given those facts, it is curious what happened on Pahlsson's winning goal. On the previous shift, Anaheim's top line was matched up with Ottawa's fourth line. As the shift wound to a close, Andy McDonald was the last Anaheim first liner to leave the ice, as Moen and Niedermayer had been able to get on for their next shift.
Moen and Niedermayer were on the ice for roughly ten seconds before the gassed Ottawa fourth line headed to the bench. Murray sent out the Alfredsson-Spezza-Heatley line against what was clearly going to be the Anaheim checking line.
McDonald was able to get off the ice at the same time as Pahlsson joined his usual linemates. Twenty seconds later, Pahlsson had scored the game's lone goal.
With a television timeout set for the next whistle, Murray's decision to send out the top line against the checking line made some sense, yet one thing has become evident through the first two games. This goes way beyond a normal checking line situation -- the Ducks' checking line has been so dominant, they have exposed a defensive weakness on the Sens' top unit.
There is no question Spezza has improved his defensive play over the past two seasons, but at times, it looks like Spezza of two seasons ago. And on the winning goal, Alfredsson gave a weak stick check towards Pahlsson, a play somewhat reminiscient of Jason Pominville's series-clinching overtime goal last spring when he danced around Alfredsson.
Simply put, Ottawa's top line must either step up their two-way play if they are to create any scoring chances. Right now, they are spending most of their time chasing Pahlsson, Nidermayer, and Moen in their own end.
That is likely to change the next two games. Murray will have the advantage of the last change, and he must do whatever it takes to keep the trio away from Anaheim's stellar checking line. Even if the big guns step up their play in their own end, they are wasting energy that needs to be spent creating chances.
Who does Murray want the trio to face? That is a tough question. Anaheim's line of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Dustin Penner can be physically punishing, so that is not an ideal matchup. The first line of Andy McDonald, Teemu Selanne, and Drew Miller would seem like the favorable opponents, but if they face the big guns on a regular basis, Randy Carlyle will put solid defensive forward Tood Marchant on the top unit.
One thing is clear -- either Alfredsson, Spezza, and Heatley find a way to spend more time in Anaheim's end, or the Senators could be in trouble.
OFFICIATING WATCH: In game three, Dan O'Halloran and Paul Devorski will be the men with the orange armbands. The duo called game one somewhat tighter than Bill McCreary and Brad Watson called game two, something that could favor Ottawa.
The Senators have commented the standards seem to be less stringent during the regular season, but that is a trend that seemed to start sometime after Thanksgiving. Given the current standards, look for Ottawa to create more subtle obstruction in game three.
McCreary and Watson called a pretty consistent game in game two, letting the players determine the outcome after the first period. Although it may not be the so-called new NHL concept, it was a traditionally called playoff game. After a combined six power plays in the first period, there were just two power plays the rest of the game and no penalties called after the closing seconds of the second period.
The boarding calls on Mike Comrie and Anton Volchenkov in the first period were questionable. Comrie's hit on Francois Beauchemin was from a 45-degree angle, while Corey Perry turned his back to Volchenkov a split second before the hit.
Shawn Thornton of Anaheim was also upset about his charging call in the second period, as he appeared to leave the ice with one skate but not the other in the process. Playing just 2:22, Thornton was one of just two Ducks not to register a hit. Had the penalty not been called, Thornton gets credit for a hit -- just a little more reason to be frustrated.
In the end, however, the officials let the players determine the outcome, and that is all you can ask in the Stanley Cup Finals.
JUGGLING THE LINES: With a 2-0 lead in the series, look for Anaheim to maintain their lines for the most part.
The top unit of McDonald and Selanne has played with Miller or Marchant at various times, and expect that to continue.
From Ottawa's standpoint, they will have to shake things up if they do not have a strong first period. Many have suggested Fisher join the top unit as he provides a healthy dose of grit and energy. Chris Neil saw some time with Spezza and Heatley last game and was impressive, particularly in the first period.
Look for Patrick Eaves to potentially replace Oleg Saprykin on the fourth line. Eaves played some with Spezza and Heatley in the preseason and the unit looked good, so that would also give Ottawa another top line option.
For the past several years, Samuel Pahlsson toiled as an underrated player in the NHL outpost of Anaheim.
Have things ever changed.
Considered the likely candidate to win the Selke Trophy for top defensive forward during the regular season, Pahlsson might win another piece of hardware if the Anaheim Ducks go on to win the Stanley Cup.
It sounds strange to say a checking line center is the leader for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, but Pahlsson is making a good case. And calling his line, which includes Rob Nidermayer and Travis Moen, a checking line, is truly a misnomer.
Through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, the line has done far more than shut down Ottawa's big line of Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, and Daniel Alfredsson. Pahlsson's unit has outplayed the Sens' big guns, forcing the trio to spend much of the game in their own end. In game two, the Ottawa trio combined for 11 of the team's 21 turnovers, including a rather significant one shortly before the game's lone goal.
It is hard to get much offense going when you are pinned in your own end, and it hard to click as a line when you are not playing as a line. At times, Alfredsson was moved to a line with Mike Fisher and Peter Schaefer, and that trio often looked better than the normal top line looked. Those three were teamed for the game's opening shift, and while the normal first line was back together later in the period, the line shuffle resumed as the game went along.
Yet late in the game, the Sens found the Spezza-Heatley-Alfredsson line intact and matched up against the Pahlsson-Niedermayer-Moen line. What happened next was strangely predictable and indicitive of the first two games.
Ottawa turned the puck over at the offensive blueline as Heatley could not handle a pass. Naturally, Pahlsson was there to pick up the loose puck and raced down the right wing.
Using a confused-looking Joe Corvo as a screen -- Corvo was facing goaltender Ray Emery when the shot was taken -- Pahlsson went between the legs of Corvo, shot the puck about 18 inches off the ice low to Emery's blocker side, and fired it inside the far post and into the back of the net.
The goal was Pahlsson’s third of the playoffs, and his 11 playoff points rank fourth on the Ducks. If anyone did not know about the quiet Swede before the playoffs, they are well aware at this point.
As far as that outpost thing goes, things are changing in that department as well. After the goal, the Honda Center, not typically known as one of the NHL's loudest buildings, reached a deafening level for the rest of the game.
The crowd had barely sat down after the goal before the next television timeout occurred. The energized crowd gave the team a standing ovation throughout the commercial break, and many sections did not sit for the rest of the game.
Fans watching at home likely had a hard time sitting down as well, considering the chances Ottawa had to tie the game with a little less than three minutes to play. Schaefer had the best look at what appeared to be an open net, but the shot went wide. At first glance, he seemed to miss the net, but replays showed Sean O'Donnell actually got his stick in the way just enough to deflect the shot wide. If O'Donnell was a millisecond later, overtime would have ensued.
The Sens also had glorious chances on a 5-on-3 in the opening stanza. The best opportunities came when Jean-Sebastien Giguere robbed Heatley on a point blank shot later in the same flurry that saw Mike Comrie hit the post on a tip from the edge of the crease.
Both goaltenders were spectacular on the night, but Emery was called upon more frequently. His play prompted Don Cherry to comment on Coach's Corner "I don't think you will get to see better goaltending if you live to be 100 years." Time after time, Emery made spectacular saves -- too many to mention in detail.
It did not take long to recognize this game would be a classic. Both teams came out full speed ahead on a physical opening shift, and by the time the game was two minutes old, fans were treated to a full night's worth of entertainment.
Helping the cause was solid veteran officiating from Brad Watson and Bill McCreary. Although the duo called three penalties on each side in the opening stanza, the rest of the game featured just one power play for each team.
Some may argue the standards of the so-called new NHL were not being enforced, but the entertainment value Wednesday was second to none. The battles in front of the net and along the boards that have been missing for so much of the last two years returned to the game, while there were still plenty of scoring chances. On another night with different goalies, it would be easy to envision this as a 5-3 game.
One thing is for sure -- nobody left the Honda Center thinking they did not get their money's worth, no matter how much they paid for tickets. A 1-0 classic in the Stanley Cup Finals, 54 credited hits in an arena that does not easily award hits, great saves at both ends, and a thrilling final few minutes -- it simply does not get better than this.
NEIL, FISHER STEP UP THEIR GAME: After a relatively quiet opening game, Chris Neil was far more of a factor in game two. He started the game with Spezza and Heatley, and he responded with three big hits and a solid 11:07.
Meanwhile, Fisher was arguably the best Ottawa skater on the night. He threw four hits and provided energy, but Sens' coach Bryan Murray would love to see him improve on his 6-for-17 effort in the faceoff circle.
Grimm's Tales Three Stars:
1. Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim. In addition to being the only player to tally a point on the night by virtue of his unassisted game winner, Pahlsson threw four hits and won 10 of 12 faceoffs. The latter stat is a huge reason why the Sens' big line found themselves in their own end much of the night, as the Pahlsson line played a strong puck possession game after winning the draws.
2. Ray Emery, Ottawa. Emery turned in one of the best goaltending performances of the season, stopping shots in every possible manner. His energetic and battling demeanor, as well as his ability to make the big save when called upon, recalls past playoff greats like Billy Smith and Grant Fuhr.
3. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim. His play during the 5-on-3 and late in the third period was a big reason why the Ducks were able to win with just one goal on the evening.
It has been pointed out by much of the media that Southern California is not a hockey town.
True, the term "Southern California" seems to imply a region, not a town, but in this hyper-sensitive metropolitan area where everyone wants to be their own metro area, it is the politically correct term.
Politically correct -- that is something Anaheim general manager Brian Burke does not spend a lot of time worrying about, yet the correct politician was on hand for the ceremonial faceoff of Monday's Stanley Cup Finals opening game.
Arnold Schwarzenegger -- aka the Governator -- received a loud round of applause after being introduced by PA announcer Phil Hulett. Although it is customary for politicians to be booed at sports event, this was different.
In star-studded SoCal, arguably the biggest local celebrity of all was on hand. At a hockey game. In Southern California.
Yes, these Ducks are making inroads in the local market. The media attention is not where it needs to be, the interest of the general public is not where many would like, and the general city-wide feeling that this is the Stanley Cup Finals is not present.
Yet at the same time, the Honda Center was as full as it has ever been by the time the teams took to the ice. Dozens of people were lined up for hours outside the box office waiting for tickets to be released. The cheapest seats from the team's ticket exchange and online brokers were selling for $400-500, and lower level seats were nearly double that cost.
Even the Lakers were never like this.
The atmosphere outside the building an hour before game time resembled a circus.
Literally.
Owners Henry and Susan Samueli set up a giant circus-like VIP tent in the parking lot for guests such as Jerry Bruckheimer, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Arnold Schwarzenegger. At the same time, about a dozen police on horseback marched past the tent, resembling a grand entrance for a circus.
Inside, the game was anything but a circus.
After nearly a week of talk, it was time for some action. By the time 60 minutes had been played, a number of things were evident.
Anaheim's checking line of Sammy Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer, and Travis Moen did an outstanding job of shutting down Ottawa's big line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson -- on this night at least.
The Ducks' checking unit outhit the Capital Punishment line 14-2, outshot them 12-5, and scored the game winner late in the third period.
Moen, parked in the slot, took a pass from Rob Niedermayer and fired the puck past Ray Emery with 2:51 left in the final stanza. The winning goal coming from Anaheim's checking line seemed strangely appropriate, considering their domination was the story of the game.
