CHICAGO -- None of the Chicago Blackhawks were all that interested in talking about next season or beyond late Sunday night, with the sting of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final still fresh, but their future appears bright.

Despite their bid to repeat as Stanley Cup champions coming to an end at United Center, the Blackhawks organization is set up to conceivably make long runs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for years to come.

Chicago already has 19 players on the roster signed to contracts for next season, with elite Finnish center prospect Teuvo Teravainen on the horizon as a potential answer to a long-unfilled gap at second-line center. Their only unrestricted free agents are veteran forward Michal Handzus, depth forward Peter Regin and veteran defenseman Sheldon Brookbank, who split time this season as the sixth defenseman with Michal Rozsival and a couple others. Restricted free agents include forwards Jeremy Morin, who might finally earn a regular spot in the lineup, versatile forward Ben Smith and backup goalie Antti Raanta.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg is back in the lineup for Game 7 of the Western Conference Final against the Los Angeles Kings.

He replaces defenseman Sheldon Brookbank, who was used as a forward in Game 6 with Versteeg scratched.

The Blackhawks have clawed back from a 3-1 series deficit to force the deciding game Sunday at United Center (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS). In Game 6 at Staples Center, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville scratched Versteeg, who struggled in Game 5, and played Brookbank up front.

CHICAGO – Justin Williams began squirming uncomfortably in his seat behind the microphone before the question was even asked.

Everybody in the room Saturday afternoon knew it was coming, so when the Los Angeles Kings forward was asked about his profound success in Game 7 situations, he just shook his head. Seated next to Williams was Kings center Anze Kopitar, who whispered under his breath, "Bet you didn't see that one coming," before Williams began to answer.

Heading into the seventh Game 7 of his career Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center in the finale of the Western Conference Final (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS), Williams has never lost in a seventh game. He's also tied for second all-time in NHL history in Game 7 goals (six) and points (12). Only Glenn Anderson's seven goals and Doug Gilmour's 13 points are better, yet Williams doesn't exactly enjoy the spotlight.

CHICAGO -- Were it not for the play of their defense corps, the Chicago Blackhawks' reign as Stanley Cup champion might well be over.

Chicago has won back-to-back games to tie the best-of-7 Western Conference Final at 3-3 and force Game 7 on Sunday at United Center (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS). The Blackhawks' defense has played a big role in the comeback.

Duncan Keith scored the game-tying goal in the third period of Game 6, Brent Seabrook recorded his fifth multi-point game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with two assists in that game, and Johnny Oduya scored a goal and assisted on another in Chicago's 5-4 double-overtime victory in Game 5. Niklas Hjalmarsson has become a shutdown, shot-blocking defender, Nick Leddy is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and there's a solid veteran presence provided next to him by either Michael Rozsival or Sheldon Brookbank.

LOS ANGELES -- It's been one month since the Los Angeles Kings made NHL history.

Friday marked 30 days since the Kings became the fourth team to erase a 3-0 series deficit and win a best-of-7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Kings were calm and collected that day before they eliminated the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference First Round. Los Angeles then erased a 3-2 series deficit against the Anaheim Ducks in the second round and won another Game 7.

Such efforts would leave a lot of teams drained, but Friday morning was business as usual as the Kings prepared for another attempt to close out the defending Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final at Staples Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Blackhawks are using seven defensemen in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

Sheldon Brookbank is in the lineup, replacing left wing Kris Versteeg with the Blackhawks trying to stay alive to force Game 7 in Chicago on Sunday. Los Angeles leads the best-of-7 series 3-2.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter isn't always chatty after games, but give it some time and he'll bluntly voice his assessment. That was the case Thursday, when on an off day he stated what happened the night before in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

The Chicago Blackhawks made a strategic move putting together a line of Brandon Saad, Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane, and it exploited the Kings for a goal, eight assists and a combined plus-10 rating in a 5-4, double-overtime win Wednesday.

It's unusual for the dynamic of a Stanley Cup Playoff series to change late, but that move largely kept Chicago's season alive and forced Game 6 on Friday at Staples Center (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

Los Angeles leads the best-of-7 series 3-2.

Sutter, who didn't talk about Chicago's changes after Game 5, acknowledged Thursday "the adjustment was we couldn't keep up with Saad." Asked about having the answer to counter the line, Sutter said, "The guys that played against them last night were not on top of their game, and that's the answer."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Kings needed 20 games to win the Stanley Cup in 2012. Game 6 of the 2014 Western Conference Final against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday will be the Kings' 20th game of this postseason (9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

Leading the best-of-7 series 3-2, the Kings don't want to play any more games than necessary. They played on the road in Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks and visited the Anaheim Ducks for Game 7 of their Western Conference Second Round series.

"We need to win tomorrow. No matter what, this game has to be ours," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said Thursday. "It's so important for us to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. If we give them this game, they're going to have so much more life and they're going to be a different team, and we need to take that energy away from them."

CHICAGO -- Forward Andrew Shaw's right leg hit the boards awkwardly late in the third period of Game 5 in the Western Conference Final, but he is expected to be in the lineup for the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in Game 6 at Staples Center.

Shaw was trying to take Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin into the boards in the offensive zone, but his right skate smacked into the kickboard at the bottom of the half wall and his right knee appeared to buckle slightly. After gingerly skating back to the bench following his hit on Muzzin, Shaw stayed in the game and finished the Blackhawks' 5-4 victory in double overtime.

Shaw missed seven games after an upper-body injury sustained in Game 1 of the second round against the Minnesota Wild.

CHICAGO -- A lot of words are written each season about Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville changing the make-up of his forward lines, but he's not against shaking up his defense pairs either.

Last season, facing a 3-1 deficit against the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semifinals, he fiddled with his top two pairs before Game 5 at United Center. He reunited longtime partners Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook as the top pair, and they stayed together through Chicago's run to the 2013 Stanley Cup championship.

Quenneville was at it again Wednesday. Down 3-1 in the Western Conference Final against the Los Angeles Kings, he split up Keith and Seabrook prior to Game 5 of the best-of-7 series.

Once again, the shake-up seemed to work; the Blackhawks won 5-4 in double overtime to stave off elimination.