The site of the finale of the Ducks’ embarrassing playoff exit last spring was the appropriate setting for their first step toward catching a wave of youth and speed.
It was after being swept out of the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks that the Ducks realized relying on brawn and a plodding pace wouldn’t get them far in the playoffs anymore. The seeds were planted for a transition toward building around young legs and an uptempo game, a plan that accelerated when injuries to established forwards piled up during training camp.
Five rookies suited up for the Ducks on Wednesday at SAP Center, and they helped generate a pace that was noticeably snappy for parts of the game but was uneven for other stretches.