The Sharks and Blues are set to take the ice for the Western Conference Final as they clash in Game 1 live from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Sunday.
San Jose is looking to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history as it enters its fourth Western Conference Final series and first since 2011.
St. Louis is looking to get to the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1970 and enters Round 3 for the first time since 2001. It will be a feel-good story for whichever team wins this.
The Sharks overcame some playoff demons by eliminating the rival Kings in Round 1 and followed it up by knocking out the pesky Predators in seven games in Round 2. The Blues have gone the distance in both of their series, taking out the defending Cup champion Blackhawks and then the Stars in seven games over the last two rounds.
"We have one way to play," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after Game 7 against Dallas, according to Sports Day. "We just keep coming after you, hopefully we make you crack."
Many of St. Louis' players kept coming in Rounds 1 and 2.
Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko is tied for second in the NHL with seven goals and knotted for third with 13 points. Captain David Backes is tied for third with six tallies, while rookie Robby Fabbri's 13 points matches him for third in the league.
The Sharks know a thing or two about going full-force.
San Jose forward Logan Couture paces the NHL with 17 points, while Brent Burns has a league-best 11 assists and is tied for second in the league with 15 points. Joe Pavelski was tied for the postseason lead with nine goals after Round 2 and has 13 points.
Veterans like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are hoping to make the most of this opportunity.
"It's been a while since we've been to a conference final," Marleau told the San Jose Mercury News. "These opportunities don't come along every year, so we're happy about it, but we still want to continue to do well."
In net, St. Louis turns to Brian Elliott, who is 8-6 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage in these playoffs. San Jose counters with Martin Jones, who is 8-4 with a 2.16 GAA and a .918 save percentage this postseason.
Game Details & Live Stream
Matchup: Sharks at Blues Western Conference Final Game 1
Time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CDT)
Venue: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Radio: San Jose (KFOX 98.5); St. Louis (KMOX 1120)
Predictions: Our predictions for this series can be viewed here.
Betting Odds: The latest betting odds for this series can be found here.
Watch Online: This game can be live streamed for free here.
