For the eighth time in NHL history -- and the second time in the past 22 years -- two teams will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after each swept an opponent in the preceding best-of-7 series. The good news for the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks: Six of the previous eight times, the victor went on to win the Stanley Cup.
RELATED: [Complete Golden Knights vs. Sharks series coverage]
Vegas won three of the four regular-season games against San Jose with Jonathan Marchessault (six points), William Karlsson (five) and Shea Theodore (five) leading the way offensively.
In the playoffs, each team has tightened up defensively, with the Golden Knights allowing three goals in four games to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Sharks allowing four goals in four games against the Anaheim Ducks.
Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said the commitment to defense will ultimately determine how far they advance in the playoffs.
"I think that's the identity of our team," Gallant said. "People say we score a lot of goals, we're a good offensive club. I think when we played these games that meant a lot to us, really important games, if you look back at these key games, we always had a great defensive game."
Each team will have a lengthy break before the series begins with Game 1 at Vegas on Thursday. Vegas eliminated Los Angeles on April 17; San Jose advanced by defeating Anaheim on April 18.
"You definitely have to do some planning on how this is going to go," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We're going to try to keep our rhythm of a series going. Go hard, and then easy, and then hard. That's the thought process behind it."
The Golden Knights had a few days off before resuming practice, and mixed in a little scrimmaging to stay sharp. Game 1 is at Vegas on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"We know them, they know us," Gallant said. "We've played each other four times. You watch a lot of their games because you're on the West Coast. They're a good, solid hockey team. They remind you of L.A. a lot. They've been to a Stanley Cup Final a few years ago (2016). They have a lot of experience and they have a lot of good hockey players. We'll see what happens."