Home-ice advantage? Well, in the new-look NHL -- you know, where they're trying (and doing a pretty good job) to crack down on obstruction -- the homies are getting a little bit of an edge.

Through the first 76 games of the regular season, the home squad is averaging approximately one more power-play opportunity per game. Last season, through the first 73 games, the home and visiting teams averaged nearly the same number of chances per game.

The Stars were on both ends of this new trend over the weekend.

Saturday night in St. Louis, Dave Tippett's team was whistled for 14 minor penalties, while Joel Quenneville's boys received just seven. The Blues, who enjoyed a two-man advantage for four consecutive minutes in the third period, connected on three of their 13 chances (the Stars were just one for five) en route to a 5-3 win.

On Sunday, at home against the Capitals, the Stars were suddenly a more law-abiding bunch. They were called for just five minors, while the Caps were whistled for eight. The Stars converted two of their five opportunities, while the Caps couldn't do anything with their one and only chance. Buoyed by their special teams' success, the Stars rolled to a 5-2 win.

If the trend holds up tonight, the Flames might be in for an uphill battle in Hockeytown. The Wings bring the league's top power play into the game, while the Flames' penalty-killing unit is ranked an unimpressive 18th. And, things might not be much easier for the Bruins in Toronto, where the Leafs possess the No. 3 power play. The Bruins' penalty killers, meanwhile, stand directly behind the Flames at 19th.

For the record, the extra power-play opportunity doesn't assure victory for the home team, which stands a little better than .500 (33-30-11-2) through this early sampling.

E.J. Hradek writes hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.