Hockey 101: Advantage of First Change

[TheCandyMan]

So I have a question for you hockey experts that I've wanted to know for a little while.  During the playoffs last year we talked a lot about being at home and having the first change advantage.  What exactly is the advantage of first change?  Is it simply home team line changes first, and how does being the home team give you this advantage?

If it helps I do know what icing is, and sometime offsides, but from what I've seen the league still isn't overly sure what offsides is so....

[panthers81]

Visiting team puts their line out first on face offs. Home team can counter with their best match-up for that line. 

[TheCandyMan]

Thank you! @panthers81