But the researchers believe that outside directors have an easier time of avoiding a blow to their reputations if they leave a firm before bad news breaks, even if a review of history shows they were on the board at the time any wrongdoing occurred.

time of avoiding a blow, 介词短语of avoiding a blow作定语修饰time,

是否可以去掉介词of, 改为非谓语修饰名词，即 time to avoid a blow ?