Last night's decisive win by Chicago is just following the odd pattern that has been happening in this year's postseason. After a round and a half of amazing playoff hockey, teams aren't having a hard time scoring, they just can't seem to do it on home ice.
In past years, teams with crazy fans managed to use the adrenaline in the building and send their fans home happy and honking their car horns. The white-out in Phoenix is legendary for rallying the troops and creating a win. Even Montreal and Detroit, teams whose fans bleed their teams' colors, couldn't get the W on home ice.
What's the deal? It's not like the better teams are swooping in and shutting out the opposition. The lower ranked teams get wins as well, sometimes big wins, but they also win away from home!
What it really comes down to is the product of what the "new NHL" has become. The level of intensity and skill is at such a high that every point, every penalty kill and every win has to be earned with blood, sweat and hell of a lot of effort. Each and every team who has made it to the second round has top calibre players suiting up night after night and all of them wants to raise th ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Adam Davis
Home Ice Disadvantage? How To Win on the Road in the Playoffs
May 6th, 2010 by Adam Davis Leave a reply »
Advertisement