Six months ago, the Penguins were in disarray and seemingly a slight rebuild from ever the Stanley Cup Final again. The Sharks have been on the brink for a few years, but it appeared their window had closed to reach the final for the first time, as well. But now, they've setup a date in the Stanley Cup Final thanks to impressive playoff runs.
The Penguins have been the hottest team in the NHL since December and the Sharks have looked dominant through the postseason thus far, breezing by the Kings in the first round, outlasting the Predators in seven and besting the Blues in six.