The way the Kings and Blackhawks started alternating Stanley Cup wins, it was fair to wonder exactly just when the Eastern Conference would emerge as the champ. Especially considering the depth of strong teams in the West, with the Blues, Ducks, Sharks and Predators waiting for one of the powers to slip.

The Penguins' breakthrough this spring was big for them, and it was big for the Eastern Conference. It signaled the end of the dominance in the West and re-established the Penguins as the gold standard to which to compare teams trying to win it all.

Last week, we established the five characteristics that made the Penguins great. Here’s a refresher: