Winning in enemy territory can be the difference between regular-season success and failure
The legendary Gord Stellick famously said, "If you're going to stink, stink on the road."
In pro sports, a winning record in enemy territory can make the difference between regular-season success and dismal failure.
To go the distance you need to win on home turf and in the opposition's barn, but how important is road success to overall success?
In the American Hockey League, perhaps naturally, the top clubs have found a sweet spot of winning at home and on the road.
So far this season the league-leading Hershey Bears, looking every bit the world beaters that ran the table for Calder Cup success in 2022-23, have amassed an equal 9-2 home record and 9-2 road record across 22 games.
Second-place Calgary (8-1-1) and third-place Hartford (6-2-2) have likewise had sparkling road success.
It's not until we reach 11th place in Springfield that we begin to see a discrepancy between wins on the road vs. home. The Thunderbirds currently sit with a 3-5-1 road record opposite a much improved 8-3-1 home tally.
Conversely, the 17th-place Coachella Valley Firebirds have a fantastic road record (8-1), while largely faltering at home (2-6-1).
25th place Grand Rapids has a strong 6-3-1 home record opposite a miserable 1-6-1-1 road run. Ditto for 30th Bridgeport with a 5-5-1 home record and a bleak 1-8 at opposition rinks. League-worst San Diego has a marginally better road record at 3-5-2 to a lousy 1-6-2 at home.
Looking at the final league standings at the end of the 2022-23 regular season, the first-place Wranglers compiled a 26-8-1-1 record on the road (25-9-2 at home), while the last-place Gulls only mustered 11 road wins opposite 25 losses with an equally dismal 9-24-2-1 record at home
The lesson? If you're going to stink, stink on the road, but make sure you don't stink at home too.