Can the Sharks keep winning routine at home in Game 3?

SAN JOSE, Calif. – There’s a certain rhythm to games at SAP Center according to St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock.

“When you played here, you had to find a way to negate the surge coming from those people because the surge that came from the fans seemed to really impact the game and the players, and especially the Sharks,” Hitchcock said. “We knew the surges were coming and we almost had to dumb the game down to just get it out because it came in waves.”

The Sharks have figured out how to better ride that wave during the playoffs than the regular season. During the postseason, the Sharks are 5-1, far better than the 18-20-3 mark the team held at SAP Center during the regular slate.

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It’s unclear how the Sharks have done this – other than finally figuring out the right type of game to play at their building.

“I think it’s making it a point of emphasis. For us it’s something where there’s no excuse for us to not be good at home – it’s something where we’re comfortable here, we have great facilities here. You’re here with your families, your kids, whatever it might be,” Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon said. “There’s no reason you don’t want to play well in front of your home fans.”

During the regular season the Sharks were 1-8-1 at home in the first game after a multi-game roadtrip. Their only playoff loss at home this year came in Game 3 at SAP Center after Games 1 and 2 at Staples Center in the first-round.

“We own it. There's no hiding from that record. I also think it's a little bit overblown. Our group's always been comfortable and confident that we can win at home. There was never any time, regardless of how much you wrote about it or talked about it, that we ever felt rattled about our home record,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “I think there was a real confidence there that we could win when the chips were down, and the guys have shown that.”

In late December, the Sharks switched their morning skates to their practice rink, and they think it helped to a degree.

From January 1 onward, San Jose held a 13-10-2 record at SAP Center in the regular season. They also outscored their opponent by 14 goals and held a 55.7 CF% in that stretch.

Even for the Western Conference Final the Sharks kept that routine of meeting at Sharks Ice instead of skating at their home rink.

“Routines are critical. I mean, I don't know why that would change. I think our guys are comfortable here. We like working out of here,” DeBoer said. “I think it works for us. Yeah, I don't see that changing.”

Part of the reason why the Sharks have played better at home during the postseason has to do with their starts. San Jose has scored first in five of their six home games, which has helped them settle down and get their crowd into the contest.

“I think playing with the lead is key for us,” forward Joel Ward said. “We haven’t been doing it in the regular season as much and I think in the playoffs we have been and it’s been working pretty good.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper