Stanley Cup matchup a saving grace for fans craving something different

Only one series remains in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins set out to do battle for hockey supremacy, the path to this year's final was incredibly unpredictable - finally.

The postseason started with three new division winners in the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Washington Capitals, and for the first time in 46 years, no Canadian teams were in the running. Although it started unfamiliar, now that a maximum of only seven games remain, hockey fans should take solace in the fact that for the first time in four years, commissioner Gary Bettman will be handing the Stanley Cup to someone other than Jonathan Toews or Dustin Brown.

Recently, parity in the NHL has vanished, but the Sharks and Penguins - two teams riddled with compelling storylines - offer something new.

Sure, the Penguins won it all in 2009, but only five players from that playoff roster remain with the club. And who remembers a 21-year-old Sidney Crosby anyway?

This is a reborn Penguins team, taking on a Sharks team with an ageless core that's finally reached new heights; ultimately providing one of the more interesting narratives the final has seen in years.

Both teams are incredibly similar, driven by blazing speed and reliable depth. But also having overcome much adversity to reach this point. The Sharks got a new coach, added pieces, and transitioned in the offseason, while Pittsburgh retooled themselves on the fly, starting with the hiring of head coach Mike Sullivan in December.

Whether it's Joe Thornton's (or Brent Burns') beard, the oft-ridiculed Phil Kessel overcome with joy about reaching this point, or two goaltenders shining in their first taste of the playoffs, there's something in this series for everybody.