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The Stanley Cup case for the Sharks

After dispatching the Kings in five games, Brent Burns and the Sharks look like one of the top Stanley Cup contenders. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The San Jose Sharks' five-game series win over the Los Angeles Kings was the biggest bracket buster of the quarterfinal round. The Kings were not only the better team in the standings during the regular season and the better team in terms of Corsi for percentage, but Los Angeles entered with the reputation of being clutch in the playoffs, while San Jose was best known for bowing out early -- the last time was in 2014, when they blew a 3-0 lead to the Kings.

However, a closer look at the Sharks reveals that they should have been -- and still should be -- considered the statistical favorite to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup finals.