Duck Fans Hungry for the Playoffs

They began arriving three hours before the action started Wednesday night, each of them trying to squeeze every bit of excitement out of this Stanley Cup playoff stuff.

The Pond was the place to be, but the Duck fans invading the surrounding area found a good time even if they couldn’t find tickets. Or afford them.

These people may be new to postseason play, but they don’t need lessons on postseason partying. Not in the least.

Duck fans from San Clemente to the San Fernando Valley wound up together at a restaurant across the street from the Pond, eating, drinking and being merry. Very merry.

“This is just the greatest feeling, the greatest atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of,” said Maureen Dougherty of Huntington Beach, as she waited with friends for a table at JT Schmid’s Brewhouse & Eatery. “Everybody in here is either going to the game or here to watch the game [on several TVs].

“I’m just so psyched up about this whole thing. We’ve all waited so long for this, it’s kind of like a dream come true. Yes!”

After high-fiving a friend, Dougherty continued to celebrate. And only two hours to go before game time.

How pumped were these people? A couple from San Clemente said the Ducks’ first playoff appearance was among the biggest events in their lives, which seemed a little odd, but OK.

There was the father from Costa Mesa who said he was so excited about the game that he gave his son the day off from school. After someone pointed out that the game didn’t start until 7:30 p.m., the man said, “Oh, yeah, I guess he could have gone to school, huh?”

Must be playoff fever. Word is, it’s going around.

“Any first experience, any first time in your life, means something more to you. It’s always more exciting,” said David Jordan of Huntington Beach, a Duck season-ticket holder. “I remember the incredible feeling I had the first time I went to a Kings’ playoff game back in the ‘70s.

“I was so energized and I had so much nervous energy. Obviously, I was a lot younger then. But you know what? I have that same feeling again.”

And when his customers are feeling good, so is Evan Glenn Evans.

Evans is the general manager of the restaurant located in a small shopping mall across from the Pond on Katella. The restaurant opened seven weeks ago.

Talk about your great timing.

“The Ducks have driven us to success,” Evans said. “The crowds we’ve had all season have just been great. We’ll have to wait and see what to expect for the playoffs, but we’re pretty confident.”

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Hot ticket: Playoff time is also the favorite time of ticket-brokers.

Throughout the Southland, brokers quickly filled ticket orders during the week leading up to the game. The interest for Duck playoff tickets, expectedly, was at its highest in Orange County, several brokers said.

“It’s been kind of what we expected,” said Bill Bowden, managing supervisor of Murray’s tickets in Anaheim. “We’ve had a lot of walk-up sales like we expected all along.”

Duck playoff tickets are selling for between $50 and $250, brokers said. Those same tickets cost between $19 and $160 during the regular season, but such is life.

“The Kings have always been the big hockey ticket in [the Southland], but you could see that change direction this season. The Ducks are the big ticket now, and that’s not going to change next season.”

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Smooth sailing: The Anaheim Police Department is also new to playoff hockey--but not big sports events.

Police officials followed the same plans for controlling traffic and crowds they used previously for Angel and Ram playoff games. They had to dust them off a little, but they must still work because everything went fine.

“We expected a sellout game and we planned for that, but it has been pretty much business as usual on our end,” Anaheim traffic Sgt. Ed Dougherty said. “The lots filled up faster and the fans arrived a little earlier than usual, that was the difference for us.”