With two days off between Games 3 and 4 of their Stanley Cup playoff series in Edmonton, the Anaheim Ducks looked west to the Okanagan this week for a little downtime.
The NHL club held a brief practise on Monday in 琉璃神社 and has ice time scheduled again for Tuesday, prior to returning to the Alberta capital Wednesday for Game 4 against the Oilers.
With Prospera Place available to the Ducks and a relaxing 琉璃神社 setting serving as the backdrop, head coach Randy Carlyle said it was a great opportunity for his team to recharge away from the epicentre of the playoff hype in Edmonton.
鈥淔irst off, we decided to come here because it was the rest factor,鈥� said Carlyle. 鈥淪econdly, we just felt coming here would give us an opportunity just to say 鈥榳hoa鈥� with our group and sit back, kick back.
鈥淭he ice was available to us鈥he environment here, staying in a hotel that鈥檚 right on the water, a lot of guys have been here before and found it relaxing,鈥� Carlyle added. 鈥淲e thought it would be an opportunity to bring our players to relax and not focus on what鈥檚 going on in Edmonton.鈥�
Ducks鈥� defenceman Shea Theodore knows 琉璃神社 well, having played at Prospera Place many times over four seasons as a member of the WHL鈥檚 Seattle Thunderbirds. The Aldergrove native said a trip to the Okanagan serves a nice diversion from the demands of a long season and intense playoff run.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely nice to be back here, I played quite a few games here, and it kind of brings back memories for sure,鈥� said Theodore, a product of Aldergrove. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful area, I鈥檓 around here in the summer time quite a bit, so yeah it鈥檚 always good to be back.鈥�
As was the case on Monday, Tuesday鈥檚 practise session at Propera Place is closed to the public.
