EPIX completes journey with Sharks, Kings at game

Part of the charm of a reality television series is it gives the viewer a chance to feel every high and low, to understand the true effects of elation and deflation. Those emotions were at the core of "EPIX Presents Road to the NHL Stadium Series," which ended with its fourth episode Tuesday.

It took us through part of the NHL season with the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. We saw the Kings at their lowest and how they dug out of it. We saw the Sharks feeling good about their game and struggling with a crisis in confidence.

EPIX 'ROAD TO THE NHL STADIUM SERIES'

Relive "EPIX Presents Road to the NHL Stadium Series" to get an inside look at the personalities of the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings on their way to the 2015 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game. REGISTER FOR YOUR EPIX FREE TRIAL ›

• Episode 3 recap: Teams at oppposite extremes
• Episode 2 recap: Both teams take to the road
• Episode 1 recap: LAK-SJS rivalry on display
• Clifford enjoys time with wife, son
• Kings make return trip to White House
• Sharks watch Super Bowl at Thornton's
• EPIX 'Road to the NHL Stadium Series' on demand

We met individual players and went on vacation with San Jose's Joe Thornton. We got to know Chris Sutter, son of Kings coach Darryl Sutter. We learned why John Scott is beloved by his Sharks teammates. We saw how serious the coaches can be.

The 2015 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game was played Saturday at Levi's Stadium, an outdoor game that had more meaning in the standings than any of the previous 13 the NHL staged.

The Kings won 2-1 on a goal early in the third period by Marian Gaborik and 31 saves by goalie Jonathan Quick. It was their seventh consecutive victory, a streak that came after four losses in five games, all captured by the camera crews embedded with the team.

To get to this point in their season, to experience the elation of winning that game and jumping the Sharks into Stanley Cup Playoff position in the Western Conference, the Kings first had to get hot. They did, riding a line of Dwight King, Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli that was featured early in Episode Four.

That line contributed 26 points in the first six games of the Kings' winning streak.

To win Saturday, the Kings had to regain their confidence, which was a slow and steady climb back to normalcy. It was as much evident in their 4-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 16 as any other time.

EPIX captured the smiles and the can't-beat-L.A. feeling that was going on as the Kings jumped out to a 3-0 lead. It was there two nights later, when the Kings scored four unanswered goals from the start of the second period to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1.

EPIX moved from the Kings to the Sharks early in Episode Four, showing how quickly things can come together for one team and how quickly they can fall apart for another.

Shortly after listening to coach Todd McLellan preach in the dressing room about becoming a better defensive team, the Sharks lost 5-1 at the Nashville Predators.

The Sharks were trying to get their season back on track. They defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2, but nearly blew all of a 3-0 lead before scoring two empty-net goals.

Yes they felt good to get a win, but there an uneasiness about them. There were comments during that game such as, "C'mon guys, gotta be harder than that." But the Sharks needed the win and they got it.

Before getting to Saturday, to the outdoor game and the scene in front of 70,205 fans at Levi's Stadium, EPIX gave the viewer more insight into how things get done in the NHL.

It introduced Bob Halfacre of Bobcat Athletic, the company that made the jerseys the Kings wore in the Stadium Series game. We met Sharks equipment manager Mike Aldrich, who was sharpening skates and telling us that a flatter bottom of the blade gives the players more glide.

Aldrich wasn't sure what the players would want Saturday. "We have no idea what to expect there," he said.

The road ended for EPIX at Levi's Stadium, where the Sharks were wide-eyed but focused and the Kings were all business. That much was clear.

The Sharks were using words such as big, beautiful, unreal and awesome to describe the setting Friday, the practice day for the teams.

"It's blown away every expectations I've had," Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said.

Their dressing room was the San Francisco 49ers'.

"This locker room is so sick," Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said.

"This is wicked man," center Logan Couture said.

The Kings, though impressed, approached the practice as if they were in any other rink. It was businesslike with few frills.

The Sharks and their families populated the full hour they were allotted for a family skate. Only a few Kings players, including defenseman Jamie McBain, participated in theirs.

The difference is the Kings did this last season at Dodger Stadium in the Stadium Series game against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks were first-timers to the NHL's outdoor event.

Game day brought tailgating outside the reality of how important the game was inside. The two points could be the difference between one of these rivals making the playoffs and one missing it.

"We'll all tell the story about playing in this game when we're [expletive] 60 or 70 years old, we'll tell them about it, but every one of us will be asked one question," McLellan told the Sharks during the second intermission. "Who won? Who [expletive] won? They'll want to know a whole bunch of things, but everyone is going to want to know who won. So let's pull together here and give them the right answer."

The Kings dominated the first period and scored 2:46 into the game, but the Sharks got a goal 64 seconds before intermission. That frustrated Sutter, who let the Kings hear about his displeasure before the second period.

"Not even close to how we should be playing," Sutter said. "Play to [expletive] win. Get caught up in winning, not [expletive] losing."

Sutter walked out of the locker room. The message was obvious and received, but it took the Kings until the third period to answer.

The Sharks dominated for most of the second period, but it stayed tied until Gaborik scored at 4:04 of the third period off a Brent Burns' turnover at the red line.

Burns said he didn't even see Gaborik, that he was going to rim the puck up the boards. Gaborik saw the puck, and Sharks goalie Antti Niemi didn't stop his shot. That was all that mattered.

The Kings won the game, again showing the resiliency that was on display through the series. The Sharks lost, again showing their inconsistency that was on display through the series.

EPIX won't be there the next time these teams meet. That will be indoors on April 11, the last game of the regular season for each. Where will they be in the standings at that point, and how much will that game mean?

We know how the Sharks and Kings will handle the process of getting there, how they will navigate the road to the end of the season. EPIX showed us their way.

If only they could turn the cameras back on.

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