If Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals was any indication, we're in for a treat, with two transition teams built on speed and skill giving the sport of hockey one unreal sales job over the next two weeks.

The Penguins' 3-2 win over the Sharks on Monday night was played at warp speed -- the third-period buzzer leaving you gasping for air, if you were fortunate enough to be inside a loud Consol Energy Center.

The Pittsburgh Penguins posted a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night at Consol Energy Center.

The Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup finals to face the Western Conference-winning San Jose Sharks.

The San Jose Sharks finally did it on Wednesday night. After years of playoff frustration and heartbreak, they’ve advanced to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in franchise history, beating the St. Louis Blues 5-2 in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.

For 40 minutes of this Eastern Conference finals game, it didn't really matter who was in goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins, that's how good the Penguins were in rolling up a 3-0 lead through two periods over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

But in the wake of their 5-2 win Tuesday night, these two teams will play one final game Thursday night, with the winner going to the Stanley Cup finals.

Joe Pavelski has gotten the Sharks to within one win of wrapping up the Western Conference finals, with Monday's 6-3 win over the Blues.

The Sharks now lead the Western Conference finals 3-2.

"It was huge, it was huge," Sharks linemate Joe Thornton, who set up -- well, who else? -- Pavelski for that tying goal in the second period. "The guys felt good about themselves coming into the dressing room. You could kind of feel the momentum shift a little bit."