D3: The Mighty Ducks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids D3: The Mighty Ducks
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Lieberman
Produced by	Jordan Kerner Jon Avnet
Screenplay by	Steven Brill Jim Burnstein
Story by	Kenneth Johnson Jim Burnstein
Starring	Emilio Estevez Jeffrey Nordling Heidi Kling Joss Ackland
Music by	J. A. C. Redford
Cinematography	David Hennings
Editing by	Patrick Lussier
Studio	Walt Disney Pictures Avnet-Kerner Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date(s)	October 4, 1996 (1996-10-04)
Running time	104 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Money made	$22.9 million

D3: The Mighty Ducks (also known as The Mighty Ducks 3) is a fun sports comedy-drama movie released in 1996. It was directed by Robert Lieberman. This film is the third and final part of The Mighty Ducks movie series. It was made by Walt Disney Pictures.

What the Movie is About

After winning big, the youth ice-hockey team, The Mighty Ducks, get a special chance. Their captain, Charlie Conway, and the whole team receive scholarships to Eden Hall Academy. This is a fancy prep school in Minneapolis that their coach, Gordon Bombay, used to attend.

New Challenges at Eden Hall

Charlie finds it hard to adjust to this new school. He feels like Coach Bombay has left them when Bombay says he's taking a new job. This new job means he won't be able to coach the Ducks anymore. One of the Ducks' tough players, Dean Portman, also decides not to go to the school after hearing about Bombay leaving.

Before classes start, Coach Bombay tells Charlie that a new coach, Ted Orion, will lead the team. Coach Orion is a former professional hockey player.

The Ducks' time at Eden Hall starts off a bit rough. While the newer players are respectful, the original Ducks cause a stir at the headmaster's speech. The team also faces many challenges on the ice. Coach Orion wants them to play a new "two-way hockey" style, which is more defensive. He also stops some of their old team traditions and fun 'trick' plays. Off the ice, they have problems with the school's Varsity team.

Team Struggles and Charlie's Choice

The Ducks keep struggling. In their first game, they tie after having a big lead. Coach Orion even takes away their old Ducks uniforms after an unofficial early morning game against the Varsity team. Because of all this, Charlie decides to leave the team. He wants to go back to public school and focus on his hockey career there. This is a big loss for the Ducks, as Charlie is seen as the heart of the team.

Fulton, another player, follows Charlie. He even thinks about quitting hockey, which makes Charlie sad. Later, Fulton decides to return to the team, but Charlie does not.

A Friend's Support

Charlie is upset about Coach Bombay leaving and Coach Orion's strict coaching. His actions start to push away his mom, Hans (who was Bombay's old mentor and a friend to the Ducks), and even his friends.

Sadly, Hans passes away. The day after the funeral, Coach Bombay visits Charlie. He takes Charlie back to Eden Hall. Bombay tells Charlie that Coach Orion's hockey career ended when his team moved away. Orion stayed behind to care for his daughter, who uses a wheelchair.

Bombay then reminds Charlie how he first started coaching the Ducks. He tells Charlie that he told Orion that Charlie was the "heart and soul" of the team. Bombay hoped that both Orion and Charlie would learn from each other. He also admitted telling Orion that Charlie was the real "Minnesota Miracle" man. Hearing these words, Charlie is touched and agrees to rejoin the team.

The Ducks Fight Back

When Charlie arrives at the team bus for the next game, he tells Coach Orion he wants to play "two-way hockey." Orion is surprised but happy and welcomes him back. Before they leave, the school's headmaster, Dean Buckley, tells the team that the school board wants to take away the Ducks' scholarships. He offers Coach Orion a chance to start a new team of his choice. But Coach Orion is happy with the Ducks and threatens to quit if they lose their scholarships.

The next day, there's a board meeting. Coach Bombay, who was a lawyer before coaching, acts as the Ducks' attorney. He successfully argues their case, and the board gives the Ducks their scholarships back!

The Final Game

Before the big game between the Junior Varsity (Ducks) and Varsity teams, Coach Orion brings back the old Ducks jerseys. This gives the team a new burst of energy. During the game, the Varsity team plays very well on offense. However, the Ducks play strong defense and keep the score 0-0 after two periods.

During the break, Dean Portman returns to the team! He finally accepted his scholarship, and his return gives the team a much-needed boost. Late in the game, the Ducks get two penalties, meaning they have to play with only three players against five. During a timeout, Orion makes Charlie captain again. He tells Charlie to go for the win if he gets a chance.

With only seconds left, Charlie gets a breakaway. He skates past all the defenders and the goalie. Instead of shooting, he passes the puck back to Goldberg, who is now playing defense. Goldberg shoots into an open net just as time runs out! The Ducks win the game 1-0!

After their victory, Charlie hugs Coach Orion. He then sees Coach Bombay, who came to watch the game. They both look across the rink at a new Eden Hall banner with the Ducks' logo. Coach Bombay then leaves, smiling, as the fans cheer loudly.

Cast

Special Appearances

Paul Kariya, who was the captain of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim hockey team when the movie came out, makes a quick appearance during the game.

Who Didn't Return

Brandon Adams, who played Jesse Hall in the first two movies, is the only actor from the original Ducks team who did not return for this film. It's thought that his character moved away.