DETROIT ? The Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche admitted feeling both anxious and excited about their Game 7 showdown in the Western Conference finals.

The fierce rivals who have combined for four of the past six Stanley Cup titles will meet for the final time this season tonight at Joe Louis Arena, with the winner advancing to face Carolina in the Stanley Cup finals.

“It’s probably good to be a little nervous,” Colorado’s Adam Foote said. “I’m sure everybody will be feeling it because Game 7s are like that.”

The defending champion Avalanche should know.

Colorado is the first NHL team to play in four consecutive Game 7s, joining the 1993 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only teams to play three Game 7s in one postseason. The Avs have won four straight Game 7s since losing to Dallas in 2000 Western Conference Finals.

“We have a pretty good streak going with Game 7s, so we have to be real positive and think about that,” Colorado’s Patrick Roy said. “I don’t want to say that gives us an edge, but it gives us the right to be confident.”

The Wings will play in their first Game 7 since beating St. Louis 1-0 in overtime of the 1996 Western Conference semis, but Detroit’s Brendan Shanahan downplayed that.

It will be understandable if both teams are playing on limited rest after a night of tossing and turning while thinking about everything at stake.

The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997 and ’98. The defending-champion Avalanche also won the Cup in 1996.

With its payroll of $65 million and acquisitions of Dominik Hasek, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, Detroit has had a Cup-or-bust mentality all season long.