Home teams were a bewildering 18-30 over the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. Entering Saturday night’s Game 7 of the New York Rangers-Washington Capitals series, they have aggregated a 13-7 run in the second round.
That didn’t take long, did it?
Of the three teams who have already stamped their passports to the conference finals, the New Jersey Devils are 4-1 at home, the Los Angeles Kings are 3-1 and the Phoenix Coyotes are 4-2.
Each of them went undefeated at their own arenas in their respective destruction of the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators.
If the Rangers bow out at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, they will finish their 2012 playoff run at 4-4 in their own abode. In turn, the only non-conference finalist to have finished with a winning record at home will be the 3-2 Predators.
Otherwise, if the top-dog Blueshirts survive Washington’s bid for another upset, they will have taken three of four home playoff bouts with the Capitals after splitting four with the Senators.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, each conference semifinal series is alrea ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Al Daniel
NHL Playoffs 2012: Home-Ice Advantage Has Returned, Likely To Stay
May 11th, 2012 by Al Daniel Leave a reply »
Advertisement