Is Game 1 really that important? Or is it overblown?
Getting off to a fast start and coasting to a series win is the main goal for every team in the postseason. If a team loses Game 1, it creates a deficit that increases the pressure to perform in the following games. This can create an obstacle, especially if the team that loses Game 1 also has home-ice advantage.
So this begs the question: How important is Game 1? Is it as important as we fans believe? Should it give us extraordinary confidence, or cautious optimism? Does winning Game 1 increase a team’s chance of winning the series, or is that a myth created by the delusion of fans across the league?