To California for hockey as the San Jose Sharks hosted the Nashville Predators in Game 7 of their Western Conference semi-final. The often underachieving Sharks have never made it to the Stanley Cup final, but with captain Joe Pavelski on track to set a franchise record for postseason goals, this just might the year they put it all together.  

Joe Thornton with the best playoff beard I've ever seen, while Shea Weber's is mere fuzz in comparison.

Midway through the first, Sharks on the powerplay, Thornton passes to Patrick Marleau who sets up Pavelski for his franchise record tying ninth playoff goal and a 1-0 San Jose lead.

Three minutes left in the stanza and Joel ward chases down the loose puck, pokes it forward and then makes a nice move to beat Pekka Rinne and it's 2-0 Sharks.

After outshooting the Preds 17-3 in the first, the Sharks continue in the second as Logan Couture steals the puck and finds the net for his seventh of the postseason and a 3-0 San Jose lead.

Early in the third now, Team Jaws with the man advantage and Mike Fisher gives it away which sets off a 4-on-1. Couture shoots, Rinne saves but Thornton tucks in the rebound and it's 4-0.

But why stop when you're ahead? Marleau passes to Couture on the 2-on-1, back to Marleau and he roofs it. 

5-0 Sharks and Rinne's reaction pretty much sums up the Predators performance and San Jose and this caveman are off to the Conference final.

There they travel to face the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 Sunday for a chance to go the Stanley Cup final, while in the East, the Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in game 1 of their best of seven series.