ANALYSIS: Are NHL Teams Vulnerable In First Home Game After Road Trip, Or Do They Carry Value On The Betting Board

LAS VEGAS -- There's a myth about NHL teams returning home after playing on the road, and that it generally takes two games to get their legs back.

Players have said time and time again that coming back home can be tiring because many of those first games back are after just one day off. And if they're family men, that day off is generally spent with family, spending time with wives and playing with their kids.

It makes sense when you hear them say it, but a little research into this year's records for each team through Friday's games reveals more than half the teams in the league are .500 or better in their first game off of a road trip.

Overall, teams are 191-109-29 in their very first game in their barn after being on the road.

The league-leading Washington Capitals, who are 33-10-5 and sit atop the NHL with 71 points, also lead the league with 22 points (10-1-2) in their first home game after playing on the road. Not that surprising, as they're toting a 16-4-4 home record this season.

Just behind the Capitals with 20 points apiece are the Calgary Flames (10-1-0) and Boston Bruins (9-3-2).

It's those two who are most impressive to take note of when you consider they're middle-of-the-pack teams, the Bruins with 54 points (24-20-6) and Flames with 53 (23-16-7). Their home records are much more impressive, with Boston at 15-7-3 and Calgary at 15-6-3.

As you can see, a majority of those home wins were in their first game back from a road trip.

On the flipside, we have a team like Winnipeg, who ranks second in the NHL this season with 69 points (33-14-3), and is 19-5-3 at home. But the Jets are tied for 14th in the NHL with 13 points (6-3-1) in their first game back after being away from Winnipeg. It's clear the Jets are dominant at home, but before last night's win over Utah were just 5-3-1 in their first game back home.

One team to keep an eye on for value when returning home is the Pittsburgh Penguins. They're 25th in the league with 48 points (20-22-8) and a rather pedestrian 12-10-3 at home. But in their first game back after a road trip, the Pens are 7-2-1 with for a league's ninth-best 15 points.

Here are all 32 teams with their records and points in their first game back in their arena after playing on the road in their previous game: