At first glance, a seventh versus eighth seed series in the Eastern Conference final could make you scratch your head. But if you don’t know the story about how the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens became the final two teams in the east, then obviously you’re not a hockey fan. With an identical point total of 88 at the end of the regular season, to have expected either of these teams to be alive at this point would have been crazy, yet here they are, and they’ll battle for the rights to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup starting next Monday night. But who has done the more unthinkable?

Philadelphia squeezed their way into the playoffs on the final day of the NHL season, when a shootout victory over the Rangers barely allowed access. They then made quick work of the Atlantic Division Champion New Jersey Devils in the only first round series that was less than six games. By the second series against Boston, Philadelphia played flat hockey, falling behind 3-0 in three games. On Friday night, they made history, becoming just the third team in history to win a series by winning games four through seven. Ironically, they were also down 3-0 in Game 7, but Simon Gagne capped the incredible comeback by scoring his fourth goal with just 7:08 left in the third period, and the rest is, and forever will be, history.

The Canadiens’ entrance into the playoffs was easier, but their first two opponents were anything but. Opening against the Capitals and their star, Alex Ovechkin, it should have been a quick exit, but after falling behind 3-1 in the series, Montreal clawed back as Washington clearly lost focus. Goalie Jaroslav Halak stole the show night after night, facing double the shots he normally would, while Mike Cammalleri had five goals and five assists. Defeat the President’s Trophy winners: check. Next was Crosby and the defending Cup champions from Pittsburgh, and once against, Halak and Cammalleri went wild. Down 3-2 in the series, Halak held on for a win in Game 6 before the Canadiens played some of their best hockey in Game 7. Cammalleri scored three more and added an assist in the final two games. Defeat the defending Stanley Cup champions: check.

So who really did the more unthinkable? If you were asked which of the Pennsylvania-based teams would make it this far, surely you wouldn’t have said Philadelphia. But if you were also asked if Montreal could survive not one but two seven-game series against two of the strongest teams in hockey, surely again you wouldn’t have said yes. Somebody tells these guys that they’re not first and second; they’re not supposed to have made it this far. But don’t tell them that until after the playoffs are over. They’ve been far too entertaining to this point, and it’s too soon to stop that now.