3 arenas visitors should fear in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

An NHL rink can be imposing to a visiting team even on the best of days. These three buildings are arenas opposing teams dread making the trip out to, and they'll continue to strike fear into visitors during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Madison Square Garden

Location: New York, N.Y.
Rangers' reg. season home record: 27-10-4

Madison Square Garden has seen some epic sporting events in its time. In guiding the Rangers to a Stanley Cup Final and the seventh game of the East Final over the last two seasons, Henrik Lundqvist has made it a place opposing teams fear. King Henrik allowed two goals or fewer in 17 of 23 home games in that stretch.

United Center

Location: Chicago, Ill.
Blackhawks' reg. season home record: 26-11-4

For decades, Chicago was the home to countless playoff failures for a franchise that endured the second-longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history (49 years). Since then, the Blackhawks have brought the Holy Grail to the Windy City three times. Over the last three postseasons, the team has displayed its dominance at the United Center, compiling a 28-6 record at home in bringing two Cups back to Chicago.

Verizon Center

Location: Washington, D.C.
Capitals' reg. season home record: 29-8-4

In racing out to the top spot in the NHL standings and clinching the Presidents' Trophy, the Capitals rode the best home mark in the league. Goaltender Braden Holtby compiled a 25-3-3 record at the Verizon Center during the regular season, where Alex Ovechkin scored 26 of his league-leading 50 goals. For the Capitals, the road to exorcising the demons of past playoff failures runs through D.C.