19 replies to this topic

[expect_the_unexpected]

I'v watched plenty of hockey over the years (well, I'm only 17) and I've never been able to figure out why the home team gets to change lines last.  Playing in your home building doesn't dictate where your bench is to the defensive zone, who has the puck when the lines change, or who gets tired first.  Common sense should say that when there's a chance, both teams switches bodies at the same time.  So why does the home team get a split second to see who the road team brings out onto the ice?

[Devils731]

Someone has to decide first so home team gets the advantage of getting to decide second.

[expect_the_unexpected]

Couldn't the road team be really conditioned and wait out the waiting game?

[CRASHER]

Couldn't the road team be really conditioned and wait out the waiting game?

if they want to get a delay of game penalty ..... sure

the road team isn't doing the home team a favor in doing this.. it's an actual NHL Rule

[expect_the_unexpected]

if they want to get a delay of game penalty ..... sure

the road team isn't doing the home team a favor in doing this.. it's an actual NHL Rule

Oh.

[sammyk]

Yah only way around it is to quickly change again after the faceoff.

[expect_the_unexpected]

The rule still applies to line changes when play isn't stopped?

['7']

Last line change really has no impact on who wins or loses a series.

[Triumph]

Last line change really has no impact on who wins or loses a series.

Yes, continue believing that. It's because of the fans screaming that teams do better at home than they do on the road.

It has an incredible impact on how well players fare. Just go look at Elias, Arnott, and Sykora's 2002 if you need any confirmation of the FACT that having last line change is a big advantage.

[aylbert]

Yes, continue believing that. It's because of the fans screaming that teams do better at home than they do on the road.

It has an incredible impact on how well players fare. Just go look at Elias, Arnott, and Sykora's 2002 if you need any confirmation of the FACT that having last line change is a big advantage.

In football, fan noise is a big factor; so home games matter... I Agree Tri, In the NHL, line changes are CRUCIAL. Sicking Madden on Jagr's line is our top priority. Especially in deep defensive zone facoffs where quick line changes arent possible.

Home ice isnt as much as a factor if your team doesnt line match.

['7']

Yes, continue believing that. It's because of the fans screaming that teams do better at home than they do on the road.

It has an incredible impact on how well players fare. Just go look at Elias, Arnott, and Sykora's 2002 if you need any confirmation of the FACT that having last line change is a big advantage.

it's because they're AT HOME, they've got the fans support and are in more comfortable surroundings. Last line change is about as important as what energy drink the players have during the game. Devils won the Cup never having home ice in 1995. Flames went to the finals last year, never had home ice. Ducks and Hurricanes never had home ice. Canucks in 94 didn't have home ice. Florida didn't have it when they went to the Finals, Minnesota didn't have it. We didn't have it when we beat the Flyers in 2000.

[Triumph]

it's because they're AT HOME, they've got the fans support and are in more comfortable surroundings. Last line change is about as important as what energy drink the players have during the game. Devils won the Cup never having home ice in 1995. Flames went to the finals last year, never had home ice. Ducks and Hurricanes never had home ice. Canucks in 94 didn't have home ice. Florida didn't have it when they went to the Finals, Minnesota didn't have it. We didn't have it when we beat the Flyers in 2000.

Fan support and comfortable surroundings contributes, but having the last line change is also enormous - its effect is difficult to measure, but it is there. It means New Jersey gets the favorable matchups in more games than the Rangers, and it means the Rangers will have to make quick line changes if it wants favorable matchups against New Jersey.

Again, go look at SEA's 2002 and tell me that's all fan support. It's opposing lines matching up against New Jersey's top line.

This series will not determine whether or not having the last line change makes a difference. The Rangers could win the first two - who knows. Having that last line change is big though.

['7']

Fan support and comfortable surroundings contributes, but having the last line change is also enormous - its effect is difficult to measure, but it is there. It means New Jersey gets the favorable matchups in more games than the Rangers, and it means the Rangers will have to make quick line changes if it wants favorable matchups against New Jersey.

Again, go look at SEA's 2002 and tell me that's all fan support. It's opposing lines matching up against New Jersey's top line.

This series will not determine whether or not having the last line change makes a difference. The Rangers could win the first two - who knows. Having that last line change is big though.

There was no SEA in 2002, there was injured Sykora and sick Nieuwendyk from what I remember.

I don't think there is such a huge gap between the players talent to where matching lines will make all that much of a difference. It's who wants it more, and who gets the lucky bounces.

[mddevsfan]

The rule still applies to line changes when play isn't stopped?

Actually, it ONLY applies to line changes when play is stopped. You can change as much as you want whenever you want during play.

[peteyvegas]

Yes. The rule gives the home team a match up advantage during a stoppage. There are no rules for changing, once the teams are on the fly.

[Risky]

Last line change really has no impact on who wins or loses a series.

7, have you been learning about reality from Bob Goodenow?

A guy who seems to know hockey so well just fell down a couple notches. The last line change for a matchup team like the Devils is H-U-G-E. For 4 games out of the series, Lou will get to react to Jagr's line being put on the ice EACH time it happens (except for on-the-fly line changes). That's no impact?

Look at 2003. How did we win that cup? Matchups, buddy. All about matchups.

[msweet]

The Devils won 3 cups on matching up... particularly the 2003 cup.

The matchups were most evident in the finals against the Ducks.

We won the 4 home games (3 with shut outs) and lost the 3 road games.

[Hellacious_D]

When you watch the games in New Jersey for this series and you notice Pandolfo on the ice whenever Jagr's on the ice and then look at the box score after each game a notice that Jagr had zero goals, then you'll understand why having the last line change at home is crucial in the playoffs.

Matchups my boy, matchups...

['7']

7, have you been learning about reality from Bob Goodenow?

A guy who seems to know hockey so well just fell down a couple notches. The last line change for a matchup team like the Devils is H-U-G-E. For 4 games out of the series, Lou will get to react to Jagr's line being put on the ice EACH time it happens (except for on-the-fly line changes). That's no impact?

Look at 2003. How did we win that cup? Matchups, buddy. All about matchups.

what difference does it make, Jagr can skate circles around the Scott Stevens of the world as well as the Odeleins. We didn't have home ice in any of the rounds in 95 and won. We didn't have home ice against the Flyers in 2000 and won. We didn't have it against the Senators in 2003 and won.

We won the Cup in 2003 because the Ducks were one of the worst teams in NHL history to make the finals, they should've been swept matching or no matching. That team had zero offense.

[Triumph]

what difference does it make, Jagr can skate circles around the Scott Stevens of the world as well as the Odeleins. We didn't have home ice in any of the rounds in 95 and won. We didn't have home ice against the Flyers in 2000 and won. We didn't have it against the Senators in 2003 and won.

We won the Cup in 2003 because the Ducks were one of the worst teams in NHL history to make the finals, they should've been swept matching or no matching. That team had zero offense.

You just continue to make no sense. No, we didn't have home ice in any of the rounds in 95 but guess what, none of those series went 7 games. And yes, we beat the Flyers and Senators - that is one game.

The point is not that 'having the last line change determines who wins the series'. It is one of many factors that go into winning a series. I think some of the posters on this thread are overstating the importance of the last line change, but it is still quite important. 'The last line change' will almost never be the determining factor in who wins or loses a series - its effect is hard to locate - but it obviously has an effect. I'll be pointing out the effect as the series goes along.