from Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com,

The San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues are not the most traditional rivals in the Western Conference. That will change during the next two weeks, when they battle for the right to represent the West in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

The Sharks, from the Pacific Division, and the Blues, from the Central Division, have met in the playoffs on four occasions, and each team has won two series. The Sharks defeated the Blues in two of three games during the 2015-16 regular season, winning twice at Scottrade Center and losing 1-0 at SAP Center on March 22.

Game 1 of the best-of-7 Western Conference Final is Sunday at Scottrade Center (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Each team will feel the weight of history in this series.

The Sharks, in the conference final for the first time since 2011, have never been to the Final. They have lost in the third round on three occasions. St. Louis is playing in the conference final for the first time since 2001 and has not advanced to the Final since 1970. The Blues made the Final in each of their first three seasons in the NHL (1968-70), but were swept each time.

Here are 5 storylines to follow in the lead-up to the Western Conference Final:

1. POINTS OF ATTACK

This series features the top two point-producing defensemen remaining in the postseason in Brent Burns of the Sharks and Kevin Shattenkirk of the Blues.

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