The Los Angeles Kings can move one step closer to repeating as Stanley Cup champions with a home victory over the fourth-seeded St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series on Friday. Fifth-seeded Los Angeles dropped the first two games in St. Louis by identical 2-1 scores but evened the series with a pair of triumphs at Staples Center. The Kings claimed Game 5 after defenseman Slava Voynov scored during a 3-on-1 rush eight minutes into overtime on Wednesday.

It was the second game-winning goal of the series for Voynov, who also netted the lone tally in Game 3. Jeff Carter scored twice in Game 5 as Los Angeles became the first road team to post a victory in the series. St. Louis got the game to overtime with 44.1 seconds remaining in the third period as defenseman Alex Pietrangelo fired the puck past screened goaltender Jonathan Quick. It marked the third time in the series a tying or winning goal was scored in the final minute of regulation. Los Angeles' Justin Williams tallied with 32 seconds left to forge a tie in Game 1 and Blues defenseman Barret Jackman scored with 51 seconds to go two days later to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE BLUES: St. Louis entered having won all 10 playoff series in which it held a 2-0 lead. But recent history is not on the Blues' side as the club has lost seven consecutive elimination games and is 0-6-1 in its last seven visits to Staples Center. Despite those dubious streaks, the Blues have not given up hope. "We're still positive," Jackman said. "We still feel like we have a very good team that can easily skate with L.A. We have to continue to wear them down."

ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles has every reason to feel confident heading into Game 6. After scoring just once in each of the first three games, the Kings have totaled seven goals in the last two contests. Coach Darryl Sutter, however, knows his team cannot afford to be overconfident. "You've got to win four games," he said. "That's what it's about. ... It's not easy just because you have a lead in the series and you're supposed to close it out. Who says you're supposed to close it out? It's not that easy."

OVERTIME

1. All five games of the series have been decided by one goal.

2. Los Angeles enters with a nine-game home winning streak. It has not fallen at Staples Center since suffering back-to-back shutout losses to Dallas and Vancouver on March 21 and 23.

3. St. Louis has won Game 6 only seven times in 18 attempts when down 3-2 in a playoff series.

PREDICTION: Kings 4, Blues 2

Quickchart Matchup

St. Louis Off vs  Los Angeles Def

2.51 GF 2.32 GA 28.1 Shots 25.5 Shots 31 PP 29 PK

Los Angeles Off vs  St. Louis Def

2.66 GF 2.34 GA 29.5 Shots 24.4 Shots 35 PP 25 PK