Home ice has not been an advantage this year in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Road teams have posted a 14-12 record through the first week of the post-season.
Think about it. The Kings and Ducks both lost their first two games at home. Defending champions the Blackhawks face elimination after dropping two at home to fall behind the Blues 3-1.
The Rangers, who took home ice away from the Penguins by winning in Game 2 in Pittsburgh, quickly gave it back with a lackluster performance in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. New York have dropped four in a row at home in the post-season going back to last season.
Only the Capitals, Lightning and Stars swept the first two games at home.
In the 11 seasons since the 2004 lockout, home teams have only once had a sub-.500 record in the playoffs and that was a 39-47 mark in 2011-12, according to STATS. The best mark was .686 (59-27) in 2012-2013.
In six of the 11 seasons, the winning percentage was greater than .550.
“I think your mindset is a little different when you go on the road,” Rangers center Derick Brassard said on Wednesday. “It’s kind of like the team against everyone, the crowd, the players, everything. You mindset is: ‘Let’s go steal one.’ At home, you want to show off and you can get away from your game. It’s just the game of hockey. Once the puck is dropped, it does not matter who is there, you just have to play. Home ice doesn’t mean anything, to be honest.”
Penguins center Nick Bonino said that no matter what the won-lost record is at this point in the playoffs, you still want home ice. It gives you the last line change and the crowd can get behind a team.
“I feel like the last couple of years, home ice has not meant a lot,” said Penguins forward Eric Fehr, who is in his 10th NHL season. “I think teams are so even, and going into any game, pretty much it’s a coin toss. It’s just how well can you play. Every rink is exciting and everybody brings the same every night. The home ice isn’t as big an advantage as it used to be.”
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