The Anaheim Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers for a deciding Game 7 Wednesday night, without any clear consensus among fans and pundits as to who might come out on top. The winner will advance to face the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference finals.
Those who believe in fate and intangibles look at the four consecutive seasons in which the Ducks have been eliminated in a Game 7 loss at home and expect them to fall short again. However, a more objective comparison suggests these are two evenly matched teams, and there might not be a clear advantage in either direction.
According to the numbers, there are three factors with the greatest chances of swinging the deciding game. Let's take a closer look at each to see how these two teams compare.