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Here is the situation tonight in a nutshell: the Dodgers have a chance to clinch their National League Divisional Series against Atlanta at 6:30 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. There will easily be a 50,000-person-plus crowd.

Then, at 7:30 p.m., the Los Angeles Kings have their home opener against the New York Rangers — a game that almost certainly will attract a capacity crowd.

In other words, traffic may not be super delightful in and around downtown L.A. this afternoon and evening. There are transit alternatives.

The Blue and Expo Lines’ Pico station is on Flower Street between Pico and 12th Street. It is a five minute walk or less to Staples Center for Kings games. Blue Line timetable/map and Expo Line timetable/map.

The Dodger Stadium Express runs between Los Angeles Union Station and Dodger Stadium and is free to those holding game tickets. The details from the Dodger Stadium Express page on metro.net:

• Board the Dodger Stadium Express at Bus Bay 3 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station.
• Service leaves Union Station every 5-10 minutes, starting 90 minutes before game time through the 3rd inning for all home games. We recommend arriving early; crowds are heaviest near game time.
• Your Dodger ticket is good on gameday for the Dodger Stadium Express fare*; otherwise, regular Metro fares apply.
• You’ll be dropped off inside Dodger Stadium behind Center Field. Service will run the same route in reverse after the game.
• Return service runs until 45 minutes after the final out.

As for fares, Metro charges $1.50 per individual bus or train line; there are no free transfers. A day pass for unlimited riding that day until 3 a.m. costs $5. Reloadable fare cards — called TAP cards — are available at all ticket machines at Metro Rail stations. The card costs $1. They can be used again, so don’t throw them out. Metro fare info here

Using Metrolink commuter rail? Only their San Bernardino Line has a late train leaving Union Station — at 11 p.m.