Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this interview.

The Stanley Cup is a coveted prize that every player in the National Hockey League (NHL) hopes to secure. But in order to get that prize, hockey teams must first go through a grueling playoff season.

Teams look for anything to give them an edge during the playoffs, especially as they travel back and forth between time zones. A few years ago, the San Jose Sharks looked beyond the ice and started examining player sleeping habits.

For help, they turned to Cheri Mah, a clinical and translational research fellow at the Human Performance Center at University of California, San Francisco. Mah has also consulted with the Golden State Warriors, who are currently deep into their own championship quest.

This year, Mah's advice is being put to the test — the Sharks are playing their second series against a team in the central time zone. Their opponents, the St. Louis Blues, have been fortunate enough to play each series in their own zone. Can sleep science help the Sharks come out on top?

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear Mah and Mike Potenza, the strength and conditioning coach for the San Jose Sharks, discuss the team's sleep strategy.