A home advantage? Examining 100 years of team success in National Hockey League playoff overtime games. (July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McEwan, Desmond
• Is Part Of: Psychology of sport and exercise. Volume 43(2019)
• Page Start: 195
• Page End: 199
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Subjects: Championship -- Choke -- Clutch -- Home advantage -- Pressure -- Self-attention; Sports -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Societies, Medical -- Periodicals; Psychology; Sports; Exercise; Societies, Medical; Sports -- Aspect psychologique -- Périodiques; Exercice -- Aspect psychologique -- Périodiques; 613.71019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.02.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1469-0292

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: To examine a potential home (dis)advantage in various types of playoff overtime games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Design: Archival. Method: Success rates for home and away teams in win-imminent overtime games (i.e., wherein a team has an opportunity to win the playoff series) were compared to their respective success in non-imminent overtime games (i.e., the outcome of the game does not determine the outcome of the series). Results: When away teams had an opportunity to win a series, they were significantly more likely to win an overtime game compared to home teams. No such advantage was evident for home teams when they had an opportunity to win a series. Conclusions: When an NHL team has an opportunity to win a playoff series, there appears to be an advantage for visiting teams—not home teams—in winning an overtime game. Highlights: Examination of team success in professional hockey (NHL) playoff overtime games. There was an away team advantage when they had a chance to win a playoff series. No home team advantage was found when they had a chance to win a series. Home and away teams were equally likely to win final games that went to overtime.