The rivalry between the Sharks and Kings precedes many players on the current rosters, including newcomer Milan Lucic, who joined Los Angeles in June 2015 via trade from Boston.
While the new Kings forward got his feet wet during the regular season, he is ready to fully engage in one of the NHL's most heated battles now that the teams have been matched up in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"Just as an athlete, and a competitor, you kind of thrive off those things and it's easy to look forward to a game when there's a little bit extra involved," Lucic said Wednesday after the Kings' final practice before Game 1, according to NHL.