Home sweet home doesn't hold true in playoffs

PITTSBURGH - Having home ice is supposed to be an advantage in the NHL, but so far in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the only guarantee to playing at home is a monochrome backdrop provided by fans in team-specific T-shirts.

Consider the following: The Pittsburgh Penguins finished with the second-worst road record among the 16 playoff teams. Then the two-time defending champions ripped off three victories in Philadelphia to kickstart their pursuit of a three-peat and backed it up with another triumph in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal against Washington.

The Capitals dropped Games 1 and 2 at home in overtime against Columbus in the opening round only to beat the Blue Jackets three times in Columbus on their way to advancing to the NHL's final eight for the fourth straight year.