No place like road for visiting teams early in NHL playoffs

Home teams have not fared well early in the NHL playoffs.

Road teams won six of eight series openers, including all four in the Western Conference, the first time each of those things has happened at the start of the postseason since 2003.

Every road team won Game 1 Tuesday night, with Tampa Bay coming out on top at Toronto, the New York Rangers beating New Jersey, Winnipeg blowing out Vegas and Seattle surprising defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado.

“Maybe nerves, underdog teams, something to prove has a little bit to do with it,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “A little chip on their shoulder.”

New Jersey’s Lindy Ruff said as a coach he sometimes prefers starting on the road to avoid distractions. Without that benefit, he and the Devils will try Thursday night to avoid an 0-2 hole before the series crosses the river into Manhattan. The Leafs, Golden Knights and Avalanche face similar challenges.

“Being away, you’re in your little bubble,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Maybe that is something we have to look into when six of eight home teams lose. Maybe they’re caught up in that stuff from the outside getting ready. It happens, but these guys are pros. I suspect all those home teams will play better.”

Teams that lose the first two games of a best-of-seven series while at home have gone on to win it just 20 times in 105 chances.

LIGHTNING at MAPLE LEAFS, Tampa Bay leads 1-0 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Expect a lineup shuffle for the Lightning in Game 2 after losing three players to injury in the series opener.

Coach Jon Cooper ruled out Erik Cernak and Michael Eyssimont and said top defenseman Victor Hedman was questionable. Cernak was injured on an illegal check to the head by Toronto’s Michael Bunting, who was ejected and given a three-game suspension from the league on Wednesday. Hedman left with an injury.

Tampa Bay could get a boost with the potential return of gritty forward Tanner Jeannot, the team’s trade deadline pickup who has been out since…