Do you remember your first Anaheim Ducks game at Honda Center?
For as long as I can remember, or for as long as I’ve been an Anaheim Ducks fan, I have had one goal, and one goal only: watch the Anaheim Ducks play at Honda Center. For most Ducks fans, attending a game at the Ponda is something you do regularly. However, for us fans who live out of state or out of the country, it is a dream we can only hope to live out one day.
Prior to the 2018-19 season, I had seen the Anaheim Ducks play once. During the 2017-18 season, I traveled to Los Vegas to visit family. The Ducks were in town, and my uncle and I watched them wipe the floor with the Vegas Golden Knights. It was a 2-0 shutout, in large part to Ryan Miller.
It was an experience I will never forget. The sounds, the smells, and the action on the ice is everything I had ever imagined, and more. However, T-Mobile Arena is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights and everything is catered to their fans. While an incredible experience, and one I suggest everyone partake in at least once in their life, it was not Honda Center.
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Honda Center is just a building, that much is true, but that is where all the magic has happened. Legends like Paul Kariya, Ryan Getzlaf, and Corey Perry were born within its walls. Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya’s jerseys are memorialized in the rafters. It is where the Comeback on Katella and PK9’s infamous “Off the floor, on the board” moment happened. The Anaheim Ducks raised the Stanley Cup for the first time in California hockey history within the confines of Honda Center.
A Last Minute Decision Fulfills a Dream
In October, I was in the process of moving, and I was scared out of my wits. I loaded only a trunk full of my belonging’s, my dog, my brother, and his fiance into my car and we began the long journey from Camano Island, Washington to Arizona. Our journey would take us directly through Southern California and the heart of Ducks country, Anaheim.
We had to stop in Los Angeles early on Sunday morning because I was scheduled to be a guest on Totally Offsides, one of my favorite podcasts. As is common on road trips, we had to make a stop for gas right outside of LA city limits and my dad called me. He had one thing to say and he didn’t say much else, “go to the Ducks game tonight, or you’re going to regret it, and don’t forget to buy me a hockey puck!”
I was wrestling with this decision. My brother and his fiance didn’t like hockey, and my dog was in the back seat. Nevertheless, the urged me to go, so, I started the process of looking for a ticket. Coincidently, I had a friend who had an extra ticket and she offered it to me.
We wrapped up recording and my family, my dog, and I headed to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to kill some time. It was a little underwhelming, to say the least, but all I could think about was that in a few hours I would arrive at the happiest place on earth, and I don’t mean Disney Land, I mean Katella Ave.
Swimming With Sharks
The San Jose Sharks were in town, and after their last game against SJS, I had my fingers crossed for another win. I handed my brother the keys to my car and thus began the drive to Honda Center. As we drove, I began to see the banners on the light posts with players, the Katella Ave. street sign, and Honda Center. To say I was as giddy as a school girl would be an understatement.
Hockey had been such a big part of my life for such a long time, and finally, I was checking #1 off of my hockey “bucket list”, watching the Anaheim Ducks play at home. I was overwhelmed as I walked inside, trying to take in every detail.
The San Jose Sharks quickly took a 3-1 lead and held it late into the second period. Pontus Aberg came through and tied it up with a goal late in the second and mid-way through the third period. Neither San Jose or Anaheim was able to capitalize on an opportunity, and the game went into overtime. Unfortunately, Timo Meier scored the game-winning goal less than 3 minutes into the overtime period.
Despite the loss, celebrating each goal was a golden moment. The sound of skates, sticks, and the puck on the ice has grown to be my favorite, and it seemed amplified within the walls of Honda Center. It is a moment I relive often, one of my favorite of the season, and it’s one I hope to experience again soon.
Do you want to share your favorite moment from the 2018-19 season? Join the Pucks of a Feather team and share your favorite moments throughout Anaheim Ducks History! It’s as easy as filling out the application above!