After a riveting playoffs that offered an alternative to the one sided NBA playoffs, the champions of the western and eastern conferences have been decided.

The Nashville Predators from the West and the Pittsburgh Penguins from the East will clash in what is expected to be a series as heated as the playoffs were. A classic case of new talent against old veterans, this will be Nashville’s first ever visit to the finals, while this will be the Penguin’s sixth visit to the finals and they are looking for their fifth title.

On Nashville only one player has ever been to the finals, Mike Fisher, the captain of the team who also has missed the past three games with a concussion sustained in Game 4 of the western conference finals.

The Predators are also the third 8-seed team to make it to the finals and even swept the 1-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. They followed that with two 4-2 series wins over the St.Louis Blues and the Anaheim Ducks.

On the other hand, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a harder time getting through. After defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in a quick 4-1 series, Pittsburgh struggled through two 7 game series against the Washington Capitals and then the Ottawa Senators.

The latter had a double overtime game 7 that ended with a Kunitz goal. Professional betters in Vegas have given the Pittsburgh Penguins the slight advantage because of the experience they have in the finals, but most believe it can go either way.