Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Season 1, Episode 7, "Pond Hockey," now streaming on Disney+.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Season 1, Episode 7, "Pond Hockey," focuses on Evan's attempt to regain the trust and earn the forgiveness of his teammates on the Don't Bothers after he practiced with the Ducks in the previous episode. Both Sam and Sofi are especially hurt by Evan's actions, and the whole team feels betrayed by their captain's actions. Evan has apologized, but his words aren't enough for his teammates.
Alex tries a players only meeting where she locks the team in their dressing room so they can sort out their issues and Evan can try to earn their forgiveness. However, this plan falls short when the players start to turn on each other and complain about other interpersonal issues, so when the power goes out, Bombay takes them to a pond for an outdoor practice to shake things up.
Bombay starts the practice with a game of tag, and Evan is "it." This helps loosen up the team, and they are all having fun, which makes them focus on practice instead of issues with Evan. By the end of practice though, the team admits they are still mad at Evan. In that moment, Evan rips the captain's "C" off his jersey and admits that his flirtation with the Ducks makes him unworthy to wear it. By admitting his behavior was not appropriate for a team captain and acknowledging the deep hurt he caused, he earns their forgiveness.
However, not everyone is easily won over. Evan has to work extra hard to earn back the trust and forgiveness of Sofi and Sam. Sofi was not only hurt as a teammate, but as a friend. She was under the impression that she and Evan were closer friends than his behavior would suggest, so she is hurt that he didn't confide in her when he was struggling with the choice between the two teams, a choice she herself had recently made as well.
Meanwhile. Sam takes the betrayal hard because Evan was the one who brought him into the team. He explains that he had never been on a team before and had never been singled out and chosen by anyone before. Evan recruiting Sam was a significant moment in Sam's life, so when Evan considered leaving the team, it made Sam doubt his role on the team overall.
Eventually Evan is able to win back trust with them. For Sam, Evan goes out of his way to explain that he is a valued member of the team and that everything Evan said while recruiting Sam was true. Evan then tells Sam that he is the "X-Factor" on the Don't Bothers, which lights a wild spark in Sam, who embraces the new moniker enthusiastically.
With Sofi, Evan admits he does think that the relationship he has with her is different from the rest of the team. He says she is special and that he should have talked to her about his difficult decision. He also gifts her a knee compression sleeve, which she describes as thoughtful and practical. These actions lead to them making up as friends and teammates.
Evan hurt his teammates when he went back to practice with the Ducks. The betrayal is something he spends most of his time in Episode 7 atoning for. He works hard to acknowledge the hurt he caused and understand why his actions stung so badly, and he works extra hard to reconcile with Sofi and Sam, who were hurt most by his actions. By the end of the episode though, the Don't Bothers are stronger than ever.
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers stars Lauren Graham, Emilio Estevez, Brady Noon, Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Luke Islam, Kiefer O’Reilly, Taegen Burns, Bella Higginbotham, and DJ Watts.
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