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Ducks spend off day practicing in picturesque Banff, Alberta

Andy Clark / Reuters

The Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames don't play again until Friday, so the Ducks decided to take the scenic route to practice Wednesday.

Anaheim is using the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre as its practice facility for the next two days. Nestled in the heart of Alberta's share of the Rocky Mountains, the location gives the Ducks a chance to unwind and refocus.

"We just wanted to get out of the (city)," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau told Kyle Shohara of AnaheimDucks.com. "We used to do that when we were younger, and I know Bob (Murray) did it in Chicago. When I was in Toronto, we'd go out in the country to get away from the hustle and bustle, and let our minds not think about what's going on. Sometimes you just want to get away."

The getaway appeared to be doing the trick for Ducks players like Francois Beauchemin, who was enamored with the area wildlife.

"On the way here, a grizzly bear crossed the road," Beauchemin said, "I love this kind of wildlife. This morning I went for a walk by the waterfalls along the river and saw five deer crossing my path. It was a good time."

Anaheim picked the right time for the trip considering the tough loss the team endured Tuesday. The Ducks were 20 seconds away from taking a 3-0 series lead against Calgary, but the Flames tied the game and won in overtime to revive their chances in the series.

"It's good for us to get away from the city, refocus and enjoy today," said Beauchemin. "We know we didn't play good enough to win, but coming here to relax and re-energize. That's the reason why we came here."

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