On March 17, 2023, my family & I went to the Anaheim Ducks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game. The Anaheim Ducks won 7-4! Especially, securing the lead after the Blue Jackets thought it was a good idea to pull their goalie for a sixth skater.
We got in twenty minutes before the start of the game as we live nearby and walk to Honda Center via the Angel Stadium parking lot. On the way there, a Metrolink train happens to pass by. After getting into Honda Center, we went to Puck Drop Patio, the food truck area, to get dinner. For dinner, I got shrimp tacos from El Corazon MK food truck, which was really good, however, they and all the other food truck operators were flooded with orders as the game was about to start, so several minutes had already passed when we got to our seats. Also at the patio was the Long Beach Grand Prix had promotional cars out, it is a weekend-long race car experience that closes the streets of downtown Long Beach for a race track and experiences at the convention center. Fans can scan the QR code to enter the contest to win tickets.
With tacos in hand, we went to our seats which were 9:30 minutes left in the first period due to waiting for the tacos, at least Treavor Ziegras already scored a goal for the Ducks. Then shortly after we sat down, the Columbus Blue Jackets got a goal and tied up the game. With 5:23 left in the first, the Ducks scored again to be 2-1! Then the Blue Jackets scored as well with 30 seconds left and ended the first period to be tied at two.
For the first intermission entertainment, it was Educators Night, to celebrate, the Ducks held a competition between four educators to pedal down the ice rink on adult-sized pedal carts, one guy went hard and won by a mile, and won a Ducks prize pack. Then the ice resurfacers cleaned up the ice to be ready for the next period, in which selected fans can come along for a ride, this time were two kids, one on each resurfacer with the driver. During then were the birthday and welcome messages, which a family member who works at the Ducks got me a birthday message!
After the twenty-minute intermission, the second period commenced. Four minutes into the period, Ducks player, Max Comtois, got a goal, now leading 3-2! During this period, the Anaheim Ducks mascot, Wild Wing, greeted fans and posed for pictures with them. During one of the timeouts, Disneyland Resort had a giveaway for a lucky family in the very top row, they all got tickets to Disneyland (one day, non-park hopper tickets). They also had a sign that it was their first Ducks game too! Fans could also win tickets by texting the number or scanning the QR code, however, I have a Magic Key annual pass, so I am good. At 3:35 left in the second period, the Blue Jackets got a goal, tied the game at three, and into the end of the period.
At the beginning of the intermission, Long Beach Grand Prix did a promo on the ice as they drove out on the pace cars on the ice to impress fans to enter the contest for tickets. Then the ice resurfacers went back out to clean the ice, and the time had two educators riding this time. In the first half of the period, both teams got a goal to tie it up. It was intense back-and-forth all period, then at 2:37 left, Max Jones of the Ducks scored now at 5-4! This now means that fans can get a Chick-fil-a sandwich for free for the next two operating days on Saturday & Monday, as they are closed on Sundays.
Thinking six high-pressure skaters are better than five with a goalie, the Blue Jackets coach pulled out their goalie for an extra skater. However, this backfired as one goal got past all the skaters, and the second one was an accidental own goal by a Blue Jackets player. Which gave the security that the Ducks need and won 7-4! With Max Comt being the man of the game! This Duck is happily going home! 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆
AntSol Travel 