'“The reason we do it [leave a day early] is you lose the three hours going out [to the west coast],” Lindy Ruff said. “We try to keep them on a normal schedule by getting out there and getting a day of practice in and trying to get your meals in that time frame. I think it helps. I found just if you fly out the day before you just don’t seem to catch up. We’re playing three days in four nights and it gives us one more day just settle in and get into a routine."'