Home Ice Advantage

[saupere]

I'm not so sure there is such a thing as home ice advantage once you get to the 3rd round or later. In the Lightning-Rangers series the home team lost 5 out of 7. In the Ducks-Blackhawks series maybe a little advantage, home team has won 4 out of 6. Make that 4 out of 7.

[darkstar57]

1. home team gets the benefit of last change allowing them to match up better against the opposing team.
2. Visiting team must place his stick on the ice before the home team on a faceoff

those are two advantages right there no matter what round your in.

[NEPA]

The fans of the home team can certainly get in the head of the visiting team, especially the goaltender.

[saupere]

The fans of the home team can certainly get in the head of the visiting team, especially the goaltender.

Well that didn't happen tonight or any night when the home team takes 40 minutes to score.

[NEPA]

The fans of the home team can certainly get in the head of the visiting team, especially the goaltender.

Well that didn't happen tonight or any night when the home team takes 40 minutes to score.

Not sure why home teams have struggled but I'd still rather home.

[saupere]

I don't know what the final faceoff stats were for the Ducks-Blackhawks in Game 7 but I suspect that Chicago was leading decisively. When McGuire interviewed Boudreau near the end of the first period Boudreau indicated that faceoffs were a problem for the Ducks even though they were at home. He sorta indicated that they weren't able to get the matchups they wanted because they weren't winning faceoffs. Not always easy to shuffle players on and off the ice when you don't control the puck.