Sometimes, things play out as are expected. Sometimes the predictors are all correct, and the tension is let out of the room, and nothing can stop that momentum from carrying things to a final known destination.

Don’t know what I am talking about? Here is a quote from Earl Sleek at his post before today’s game at The Battle of California:

You might think that I’m confident about the Ducks’ chances tonight against the 14th-ranked Thrashers, but don’t forget: the Ducks have lost their last three games against teams ranked 14th or worse. Anytime they feel like bucking that trend, I’m ready to support that.

They did not buck that trend tonight, losing to the Thrashers 8-4. Before the game, I was lamenting not going with the ticket upgrade for better seats (my seats were cheaper than Doug Stanhope’s dates, ZING!). But after what we witnessed, the pain of the game would have only been closer to see.

And even though the genius of Mr. Sleek has already been on display here, it wasn’t over. As the game sat with sixteen shots for the Ducks, Earl said that the seventeenth shot would be “glorious.” And the Ducks scored on that shot. And then, cool as ice, Sleek said the nineteenth shot would be excellent. And the Ducks scored on that one. Everyone who heard his predictions looked at him with our mouths open. All of us looked like Tyler Arnason only we could probably win faceoffs. Sleek called the shots. I was planning to phone him with his predictions before the Kentucky Derby, but his next one didn’t hit. Still, two out of three is good enough for the ponies, and was good enough for me.

Let me say this about Mr. Earl Sleek. He was great. It’s always strange when you meet someone for the first time that you only know from their blog. You wonder if you will have anything else to talk about other than hockey. You wonder if they are going to be closet cases, head jobs, or just plain droll. Earl was one of a handful of bloggers I talked to a lot when I started Jerseys and Hockey Love. He was a lot of fun online, and always good for some chat. Then the season started, and we all had to follow our own teams, and like the old gang at the soda shop, we went our separate ways. It was good to finally meet the man who leads the best “battle blog” out there, and I’m glad that Mirtle was smart enough to pick him and his crew up. I was not disappointed.

Enough of that, on with the show.

I hadn’t been to the Honda Center since it was Arrowhead Pond and the Ducks were Mighty. Not much has changed, except the entire color scheme.

This guy was freaking me out.

He did repel from the rafters (grid) but didn’t have a very smooth landing. Who am I to criticize? He had to land on hockey skates. That can’t be easy.

No, the scoreboard is not on fire.

Fuzzy GM will… do something EVIL!!!! Yeah!!!

He looks a little too relaxed for what is about to happen.

Now this is Ducks hockey.

More after the break.

.Your goalies for the evening. JS Jiggy and Kari Lettin’-Em-In. Click the pics to enlarge.

Jiggy got pulled after allowing five goals on 25 shots. Not his best night.

Action!

Less action!

The score begets the excitement of the crowd. Why is everyone cheering? Oh, got it.

Check out the pants on the ref, and the lack of a number on his jersey. I assume his luggage got lost. Anyone want to fill me in on the details? I do want to know.

Sleek said they had to keep opening cracker jack boxes to find him a whistle.

Yeah, whose house is this? That’s right, our house! And you don’t come into our house and push us around! Oh, you do? Well, fine, but it’s still our house, now get your feet off the table!

After the game, a few friends of Earl (FoE?) were playing a game on the Honda Center ice (is there a nickname for the place? Le Car? Anything?) We stuck around to see some real hockey, and truth be told, I had a blast. We were heckling, cracking jokes, and enjoying the play of a bunch of guys who love to play hockey. Heart beat skill all night, and that even extended into the timekeeper’s area, as the poor woman manning the controls had no idea how to run the thing, how many goals were scored, who scored the goals, and even which team was which (note: do not name teams “good guys” and “bad guys” and expect anyone to figure it out). Here are a few pictures. As with all the pictures here, click to enlarge.


Finally, some Ducks hockey!

I had a great time at the game, and would not have known about the even more fun game after the Ducks got their tail feathers handed to them if not for Mr. Sleek. Next time you are at the Honda, and he is there, go buy him a beer.