Crowd is a roaring success

Fans in Southern California have a reputation for arriving late, leaving early and being more concerned with being seen than watching the action in front of them.

But the first two games of the Western Conference quarterfinals have seen the Honda Center turned into an orange-towel-waving mass of humanity as the first puck is dropped.

Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle isn’t oblivious to the frenzied atmosphere.

“I think it was three-fourths full during warmup,” he said. “Usually it doesn’t get that way until about 10 minutes into the game. The building was electric. You can feel the emotion.”

Defenseman Sean O’Donnell said the loudness of the sellout crowds is a clear difference from the regular season.

“Not even close,” O’Donnell said. “We had some big games this year, whether it was San Jose or Dallas or whoever it was. But just to see them waving those things and standing up, it was [something].

“I had goose bumps skating around during the anthem. There’s no question there was a different feel before the anthem and getting ready for the start of the game.”

Carlyle is asking for even more from those in the seats.

“Our fans have been behind us,” he said. “We’d like them to be even louder if that’s even possible.”

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Ryan Shannon was inserted into the lineup on the fourth line for Game 2 in place of Mark Hartigan, who played only 3 minutes 34 seconds and didn’t register a shot in Game 1.

“It’s tough for a player to come up and join your hockey club with three games to go and expect more than seven or eight minutes out of the individual,” Carlyle said of Hartigan. “Especially because he’s played more of an offensive role all his career.

“We’re asking him to be more of an energy player. With Hartigan, he gave us safe minutes and that’s all we’re really asking of him now. If we have somebody that does falter on the offensive side, we feel he’s capable of stepping in and providing offense.”

Left wing Shawn Thornton and defenseman Aaron Rome were the Ducks’ other healthy scratches.

eric.stephens@latimes.com