NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Teams That Must Take Advantage of Home Ice

If there's anything of which we've been reminded in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, it's that home-ice advantage doesn't mean all that much in the NHL.

That's not to say, though, that teams would just as readily play all their games on the road, away from their local fans.

Rather, for these three teams, taking care of business in their own buildings will be of the utmost importance in the week to come.

Nashville Predators

It doesn't really matter where the Predators play right now so long as they find a way to win. Nashville's already down 0-2 to Phoenix in the Western Conference semis after the Coyotes put the pack past Pekka Rinne nine times in two games.

An astounding feat, considering that the 'Yotes averaged just 2.56 goals per game this season and managed more than three goals in a game just once during the first round.

Not to mention how solid Rinne was against the Detroit Red Wings in the previous series.

Nashville's defense has looked lackadaisical thus far and certainly must step up its effort at the blue line if folks in the Music City are to see anything other than a clean sweep at the hands of an ownerless, rudderless organization.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings don't need to defend their ice, per se, not after outplaying the Blues every which way but up through the first two games in St. Louis.

However, with the way things have escalated between them since Alex Pietrangelo's injury in Game 1 and the physicality that St. Louis brings to the ice every time out, LA would be wise to wrap this one up quickly before any more of its guys get injured.

I'm not saying we've necessarily got a Flyers-Penguins-style bloodbath in the pipeline, but the Kings would be wise to advance with the Staples Center faithful looking on, lest they lose any key players to injury and/or suspension before the Western Conference finals.

Washington Capitals

It's one thing for the Capitals to steal home ice from the top-seeded Rangers, as they did with a 3-2 win on Monday night.

It's another entirely for Alexander Ovechkin and company to parlay that tie into an advantage in the series and (perhaps) a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Blueshirts have proven to be eminently beatable at Madison Square Garden. However, the last thing the Caps should want to see is a Game 7 on the road, with rookie Braden Holtby bearing the burden of outplaying Vezina Trophy favorite Henrik Lundqvist.

It would make for a great story if it happened, though the Caps would do just as well to put the pressure on New York while in DC this week, potentially setting up a Game 6 at the Verizon Center to decide the series in Washington's favor.

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