Defending Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings face the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The game starts at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch it HERE.
Tuesday is the first time in two years that the Kings are one game away from elimination.
"You don't know what you're playing for until you've won it," Kings winger Dustin Brown told reporters. "So my perspective on the playoffs this year has been completely different from my perspectives the previous years, because I don't think I fully understood what exactly I was playing for until we put ourselves over the top.
It's kind of the same way with losing. It's hard to understand what it takes until you lose."
Los Angeles has had a run of luck on their home ice, according to the Associated Press. They've won 13 straight victories at the Staples Center, something they hope will shift the odds in their favor of advancing to the conference semifinals.
"I guess the odds are on our side, but we know anything can happen," Kings center Anze Kopitar said. "Everyone wants to win these types of games, and you want to be the hero."
San Jose forced a seventh game by winning three of the series' last four games, winning each by a score of 2-1. The string of wins has given the Sharks confidence and momentum.
"It's definitely a stressful situation, but it's the most fun I've had playing hockey," Sharks defender Dan Boyle told reporters. "... It's the best time to play. I just try not to make it a bigger deal than what it actually is. Go out and enjoy it. Just don't overthink it, or it can get the best of you."
Everything is on the line for Game 7. A win will allow the Kings to continue their bid for a repeat Stanley Cup victory, while a win by the Sharks can keep them on the path to winning the franchise's first Cup.
