NHL playoffs schedule 2016: Home ice on the other foot halfway through Round 1

Four games will grace our eyeballs as the playoff series near their midway point.

Apr 19, 2016, 12:30 PM UTC

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

As we hit the midway stretches for many playoff series, Games 3 and 4 are often the most critical. Heading into a new barn for a set of two games has the potential to change a series or keep the wheels rolling, depending on where they’re being played.

For the Red Wings, who took Game 3 on Sunday by a 2-0 score at home, they'll have to continue to feed off their home energy to tie their series with the Lightning at 2-2.

Likewise for the Blackhawks, but unlike the Red Wings, they dropped their playoff home opener in a shocker to the Blues. Chicago is one of the hardest cities to play in with their crowd, and the Blackhawks will have their hands full keeping a strong St. Louis team from quelling their fans.

A tied Rangers and Penguins series heads to New York after a surprisingly strong response by the Rangers on Saturday. Now, they have the slight momentum going into Madison Square Garden for the next pair of games where the Penguins might be missing Marc-Andre Fleury once again from their net.

Maybe the most compelling series with the Predators and Ducks saw the Pacific's best Anaheim squander their home ice with two losses. Now, the Predators take a 2-0 series lead home, where they have the potential to eliminate the Ducks with a home sweep.

All times for Tuesday’s schedule are ET.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings

7 p.m. ET | Game 4, Eastern Conference Round 1
Joe Louis Arena | Detroit, Mich.
Local: FS-D, FS-F | Nat'l: NBCSN, CBC, TVAS2
Live stream at NBC Live Extra and Rogers GameCentre
More coverage: Lightning blog | Red Wings blog

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers

7 p.m. ET | Game 3, Eastern Conference Round 1
Madison Square Garden | New York City, N.Y.
Local: MSG, ROOT Nat'l: USA, TVAS, SN
Live stream at NBC Live Extra and Rogers GameCentre
More coverage: Penguins blog | Rangers blog

St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks

9:30 p.m. ET | Game 4, Western Conference Round 1
United Center | Chicago, Ill.
Local: CSN-CH, FS-MW| Nat'l: NBC, TVAS, SN
Live stream at NBC Live Extra and Rogers GameCentre
More coverage: Blues blog | Blackhawks blog

Anaheim Ducks at Nashville Predators

9:30 p.m. ET | Game 3, Western Conference Round 1
Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, Tenn.
Local: FS-W, FS-TN | Nat'l: USA, SN360, TVAS2
Live stream at NBC Live Extra and Rogers GameCentre
More coverage: Ducks blog | Predators blog

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