NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Blackhawks and Road Teams Who Will Steal Game 1

Home-ice advantage is something teams work all season for, but it can be gone in a matter of one night.

Sometimes, the advantage is lost after Game 1 of the opening round. 

It happened to the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks in the 2011 playoffs. Only the Ducks lost their first-round series, but the other two teams had to battle seven games to advance.

Pulling off the Game 1 upset gives the underdog a bit of confidence and levels the playing field.

This year, I predict three more lower seeds will steal Game 1 on the road.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks have a lot of questions.

Will Jonathan Toews be healthy enough (concussion) to be effective in this series?

Will the team stay hot in general?

The Hawks have won eight of their last 12, and of the four losses, all but one came via shootout.

The Hawks are playing well, and this is even without Toews. The captain hasn't played since February 19, but the Hawks are a respectable 13-5-4 in his absence.

Toews will likely play, though his effectiveness level is up in the air. The Hawks have the talent and chemistry to perform in either scenario. In the regular season, they took only one of the four games against Phoenix, but that was early.

Amidst Toews' absence, the team has taken a new identity. They are tougher and more physical. The way the team is playing right now, they will surprise the Coyotes in the series-opener.

Philadelphia Flyers

Sure, the Flyers lost the regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but during the regular season, they handled their in-state rivals well.

The Flyers took four out of six from the Penguins, so they know they can beat Pittsburgh. After the brawl that ensued following the teams' April 1st matchup, more intensity was expected in the season finale.

Instead, we got a minor scrap and jawing.

This will certainly boil over in the heat of the postseason. This is why the Flyers will steal Game 1.

The Penguins' current roster is not set up to deal with this style of play.

Sidney Crosby will be an even bigger target of physical play in this series, and I expect it to start early. I have definite concerns about whether Crosby can maintain his poise amidst his health concerns and a rough-and-tumble series.

Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has been solid in net as well, so I see the Penguins having a tough time lighting the lamp in Game 1. Thus, the Flyers are my pick for the win.

Washington Capitals

The Caps are playing really well right now. They have won four or their last five heading into the postseason. Yet so have the Bruins, but the last loss they suffered before that stretch was at the hands of the Capitals.

That loss finished off a 1-3 mark vs. the Caps this season. In the lone Bruins win, goalie Tim Thomas had to be spectacular, stopping 35 shots in a 4-1 victory.

If he doesn't play on that level, the Caps will have an outstanding shot. Just as the Bruins got their postseason engines running late in 2011, I predict a slow start here as well.

The Caps have found success against Boston this season without scoring from their best player. But there is a monster lurking.

The Bruins have held Alexander Ovechkin goalless so far this season, but I see a breakout coming in Game 1.

Last season, things ended well for the Bruins in the postseason, despite the 2-0 hole they found themselves in during the opening round. The hole may not get that deep this year, but my prediction is the Caps in Game 1.