Once upon a time, home-ice advantage was a significant edge in the NHL, especially during the playoffs. The old Montreal Forum supposedly had actual ghosts that helped the Canadiens win, but in other cities the home team simply tried to create a forbidding atmosphere that made it difficult for the visiting team to succeed.
Not so anymore. The road team won 16 of the first 30 playoff games contested this spring, including each of the first three games of the Ducks’ first-round series against the Nashville Predators. The Ducks, who got back into the series with a 3-0 victory on Tuesday, will try to even it up Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.