When the puck is dropped for Game 3 on Saturday night, history will be made.
For the first time in franchise history, the San Jose Sharks will host a Stanley Cup Final game, and despite facing a 2-0 hole, the team is looking forward to relishing home ice.
"You can feel the energy going around the city right now," captain Joe Pavelski told Nicholas Cotsonika of NHL.com.
The Sharks and their fans endured a rough patch after squandering a 3-0 series lead to their in-state rival Los Angeles Kings in 2014, then missing the playoffs in 2015.
The only California-based team to not win a Cup, San Jose is happy to be where they are after all the past adversity.
"(Losing that way to the Kings) was as low as you can get as a professional athlete, individually and team-wise, and then last year obviously tough times missing the playoffs, going through some stuff as a team," said leading scorer Logan Couture. "But I really think everything we've gone through has made us a lot stronger as a group."
"I think we're just excited to be home and an opportunity to play in front of our fans who have been waiting 25 years for this game," Couture added.
Sharks forward Joe Thornton expects the home crowd to be ready.
"I think once you get into the Shark Tank, you'll know why (home ice has been an advantage)," Thornton said. "It's extremely loud, extremely intimidating."
The Sharks own a 7-2 record at home in the postseason thus far.
