Mighty party no wash out

Marisa O’Neil

More than 1,000 Mighty Duck fans gathered at Newport Dunes Friday

night to watch a hockey movie, play beach hockey games and talk

hockey at a party sponsored by the Mighty Ducks for season ticket

holders. But with a lockout threatening the season’s start, it may be

the most hockey-related entertainment the die-hard fans will get this

year.

“It stinks,” Yorba Linda resident Mark Ruff exclaimed about the

lockout.

Ruff, who has held season tickets since the expansion team’s

inaugural season 12 years ago, proudly sported a signed Stu Grimson

jersey. He and other fans expressed their frustration over the

possibility of an NHL-free winter but gave the party high marks.

“We’re disappointed,” Huntington Beach resident Dale Fike said of

the lockout. “But this [event] is great. We get to see all our

friends and socialize. I’m glad that just because there’s no season,

[the club is] not just dropping us.”

The club organizes several events throughout the year for season

ticket holders, said Bill Chapin, director of ticket sales and

customer service. This was the first time it has held an event at

Newport Dunes, he said.

As they gathered on the beach, season ticket holders had a bar,

Mexican food buffet, music, games, face-painting and team mascot Wild

Wing to keep them busy until the main event. The hockey movie

“Miracle” played on a screen hoisted on a dock in the bay once the

sun went down.

“Season ticket holders are the lifeblood of our organization,”

Chapin said. “This event combines the love of hockey and the physical

features of Southern California. It’s great to mix hockey and the

beach.”

The irony of throwing a beach party for fans of a sport

traditionally popular in colder climes wasn’t lost on Chapin.

“In the film, the temperature of the ice will be 32 degrees,” he

said with a laugh. “But when we watch, it will be about 70 degrees.”

Even with the season threatened by the looming lockout, the

party-goers still had plenty of Ducks spirit.

Children, like 4-year-old Kelsey Ramirez, got “Go Ducks!” painted

on their faces and the team colors of maroon and jade spray-painted

into their hair. Nearly everybody wore a Mighty Ducks shirt, jersey

or hat.

And 58-year-old Richard Frauenzimmer, who broke his femur ice

skating just nine weeks ago at the last Mighty Ducks party, hobbled

in on his crutches. He and other fans said they have a minor-league

contingency plan, just in case the season falls through.

“We signed up for [Long Beach] Ice Dogs tickets,” he said. “I

enjoy hockey and want to get it covered.”