Ducks l’Orange County cooking up excitement

Because this is a year when the National Hockey League didn’t call off its entire season, the playoffs have rolled around. To my way of thinking, it’s the most exciting time in any league -- when four teams remain and are trying to make the finals.

Hey, Orange County, guess what? The team formerly known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, which played in the arena formerly known as the Pond, is one of the four. For $10, can you name at least two of the other three?

I didn’t think so.

The Ducks are now just the Anaheim Ducks (I apparently was one of the few who liked having “Mighty” in the name) -- they play in the Honda Center -- and have been seen all season long as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The Ducks are making their second strong run at the cup since 2003, when they lost in the finals to New Jersey in Game 7.

Pretty impressive history, but the problem is, most people here don’t care.

Hockey is like a TV show that has a relatively small but incredibly loyal fan base. In the same way that “Gilmore Girls” viewers don’t understand why it isn’t a major hit, hockey devotees can’t believe the masses don’t see what they see: a game of skill and speed played by sportsmen who shake hands after a playoff series. Imagine the Yankees and Red Sox doing that.

It didn’t help that the National Hockey League, because of labor trouble, played about half the schedule in 1994-95 and none in 2004-05. Since then, ESPN quit carrying the league’s games.

That tends to diminish one’s presence.

Which brings us to something most of you probably don’t know: The Ducks are in town tonight to play the Detroit Red Wings in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. The series is tied 1-1, and whoever wins plays the winner of the Buffalo-Ottawa series for the Stanley Cup.

In case you bump into a hockey fan in the next few days and want to sound smart, here’s a refresher quiz on your knowledge of the game and the Ducks, in particular. If you get at least seven out of 10 right, you’re more informed than 90% of the local population.

1. How many teams are there in the league?

A. 30

B. 52

C. 6

D. 24

2. One of the following is not a hockey expression. Can you identify it?

A. Sin bin

B. Biscuit in the basket

C. Change on the fly

D. Pass the butter

3. What does it mean when the red light goes on behind the goalie’s net?

A. Beer sales have been temporarily suspended

B. Someone has left their lights on in the parking lot

C. The puck can’t be found

D. None of the above

4. One of these is the mayor of Anaheim and the other is a Ducks defenseman. Which is which?

A. Chris Pronger

B. Curt Pringle

5. Which of the following was a character in “Animal House”?

A. Scott Niedermayer

B. Doug Neidermeyer

C. Rob Niedermayer

6. Two of these men never played for the Ducks. Name them:

A. Ilya Bryzgalov

B. Illya Kuryakin

C. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

7. To what does “icing the puck” refer?

A. Preparing the puck for the game

B. A naughty expression

C. An infraction of the rules

D. A popular concession-stand technique

8. Which of the following is not a tasty menu item?

A. Teemu Selanne

B. Tandoori Roti

C. Pollo Fritto

D. Aji de Gallina

9. What is hockey’s signature play?

A. Breakaway goal

B. Skate save

C. Face-off in the neutral zone

D. Left uppercut

10. One of these teams will win the Stanley Cup. Which one?

A. Anaheim Ducks

B. Detroit Red Wings

C. Ottawa Senators

D. Charlestown Chiefs

Answers: 1-A; 2-D; 3-D; 4-Curt Pringle is mayor of Anaheim; 5-B; 6-B&C; 7-C; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A