There's No Place Like The Road In The NHL Playoffs

We Examine Why The Kraken And Other Playoff Teams Seem To Fare Better Away From Home

With apologies to Simon & Garfunkel:

Where have you gone, home ice advantage?

Playoff hockey turns its lonely eyes to you.

What's that you say, mister Commissioner?

Joltin' home has left and gone away.

The Seattle Kraken have been one of the playoff underdogs confounding experts, dethroning the favored Colorado Avalanche in the first round. Crucially, three of their four victories were achieved at hostile Ball Arena in Denver, including the decisive Game 7.

Overall, playoff road teams this year won an NHL-record 31 games in the first round. The same night the Kraken eliminated the Avs, the Florida Panthers knocked out the President's Trophy-winning Bruins in Boston.

Not only were the Bruins the league's best regular season team, they sported the number one home record. The Tampa Bay Lightning were second-best at home, the L.A. Kings fifth, Winnipeg Jets sixth, and Minnesota Wild seventh. All these home-ice powerhouses lost opening round elimination games in their own barns.

What's more, of the eight teams to advance, only the Vegas Golden Knights had more wins than losses at home.

The trend continued in round two, with Seattle and Florida both taking Game 1 on the road against higher-seeded opponents. 

Through the games of Thursday, May 11, home  teams in the second round have won 10 times, road teams eight times.

One explanation is that distractions (ticket requests, family chores, etc.) are minimized away from home. Another is that road teams aren't tempted to impress fans with fancy but low percentage playmaking.

That's why announcers will say, "They played a good 'road' period," meaning a low-risk approach.

What happened to teams channeling energy from the passion of the home crowd? Or road teams being worn down by the rigors of travel? Or teams knowing the quirks of their own rink, such as whether the boards are "lively" or "dead?"

Three playoff coaches quoted by NHL.com believe conditions have significantly changed since their playing days. Former Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said there's less physical intimidation. Panthers coach Paul Maurice doesn't believe buildings are as loud.

Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned Climate Pledge Arena in his answer. "You think of the old Boston Garden, Chicago Stadium, much more intimidating buildings. Now we go into Seattle and it's like you're visiting a spa in the visitors dressing room. So you are comfortable right away."

Kraken coach Dave Hakstol, however, doesn't concern himself with the seeming imbalance. "I can't attach any significance to it," Hakstol said following a home playoff loss.

In part two of our analysis, we try and separate fact from fiction about home-ice advantage.