Tue Dec 27 12:03pm EST
In the third period of last night's Anaheim Ducks victory at the San Jose Sharks, something rather fowl left the stands and hit the ice: a dead mallard, tossed from the seats at HP Pavilion Arena.
As the video shows, the fan that tossed the deceased duck appeared to be rocking a teal jersey; so rather than an Anaheim fan attempting to establish some type of bird-based takeoff of the Detroit Red Wings octopus toss, this would appear to be a declarative statement from a San Jose fan that when Anaheim enters the Shark Tank, they're dead ducks.
So, naturally, the Ducks won the game, 3-2, snapping a 13-game road losing streak.

The faceoff was down the other end of the ice during this incident. Jonas Hiller skated out of his crease but wanted nothing to do with it. The on-ice officials picked it up and skated it over to the benches to disposal. (An aside: Between octopi and fish and ducks, NHL referees are second only to county road maintenance workers in the disposal of dead animals in high traffic areas.)
[Related: The top five NHL stories of 2011]
The Sharks fans cheered this scene, and why not? Once you've witnessed a shark with an octopus in its mouth hit the ice during a Stanley Cup Playoff game, a duck on the rink isn't going phase you. Our only question: Did it quack the ice? (Shamelessly stolen from Twitter last night.)
So, in summary: Octopi in Detroit and wherever the Detroit Red Wings play; catfish for the Nashville Predators; rats, thankfully rubber, for the Florida Panthers; a salmon during a Vancouver Canucks game; a chicken in Los Angeles; a snake, again thankfully rubber, for the Phoenix Coyotes; sharks in San Jose; and now, a duck.
[Related: Puck Daddy's top 10 Jersey Fouls for 2011]
We said it before, we'll say it again: What are you waiting for, Boston Bruins? Cowboy up …
(s/t PHT for the video; reader Jordan C. for the photo.)
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
• The biggest college football gaffes of 2011
• NFL playoff picture: Saints, Falcons could meet again
• Charity work saves Sixers' Lou Williams from a robbery attempt
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Browse
Gary Bettman's unlikely musical tastes
Posted Jun 21 2012
Yakupov says he's ready for NHL
Posted Jun 25 2012
Canada's Stanley Cup curse explained
Posted Jun 21 2012
Edited By Doug Farrar
Edited By 'Duk
Edited By Kelly Dwyer
Edited By Greg Wyshynski
Edited By Matt Hinton
Edited By Jeff Eisenberg
Edited By Jay Busbee
Edited By Jay Busbee
Edited By Steve Cofield
Edited By Chris Chase
Edited By Chris Chase
Edited By Brooks Peck
Edited By Andy Behrens
Edited By Cameron Smith
Edited By Mark J. Miller