In the throes of a disappointing six-game start (2-3-1) to the new campaign, the Ducks hit reset.
They exchanged sticks for paintball guns; pucks for pellets. They forewent practice Monday and Tuesday and instead engaged in some team-bonding exercises at Camp Pendleton.
With all the injuries taking their toll, player combinations have mostly been a hodgepodge, with little time or ability to create proper chemistry. It remains to be seen whether this two-day break alleviated those issues, but with six games in 11 days, the Ducks simply needed to breathe.
“We haven’t created an identity,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said.