NHL Playoff Schedule 2015: TV Start Times, Live Stream Coverage and More

Expect desperation on ice Sunday.

Nothing in the sports world can match the frantic urgency of a team playing with its season on the line. Two squads—the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames—hit the ice on Sunday in win-or-go-home situations in the 2015 NHL playoffs.

The Washington Capitals lead the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers 3-2 in the Eastern Conference, while the Anaheim Ducks lead the Flames 3-1 in the Western Conference. The fact that both trailing teams are on the road for Sunday’s action only serves to exacerbate the desperation because the raucous opposing crowds will remind them of their situations early and often.

Here is a look at Sunday’s NHL playoff and broadcast information before a couple of previews and predictions.

Matchup	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Eastern Conference Game 6: New York Rangers at Washington Capitals	7 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live Extra
Western Conference Game 5: Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks	10:30 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live Extra

Eastern Conference Game 6: New York Rangers at Washington Capitals 

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

The Capitals were two minutes away from the Eastern Conference Final. Their late collapse in Game 5 of this series could ultimately cost them the season.

Washington led 1-0 with one minute and 41 seconds remaining in Game 5 when Chris Kreider buried one in the back of the net for the Rangers. New York won in the ensuing overtime and kept its season alive, and the pressure now falls squarely on Washington’s shoulders in Game 6.

If the Capitals can’t close New York out on Sunday, they'll have to travel to Madison Square Garden for a decisive Game 7. They are 2-8 in Game 7s since 2012.

This is unfortunately business as usual for the Capitals, who have lost nine series in which they led 2-0 or 3-1—including a 2013 loss to the Rangers after Washington led 3-2—since 1985. In theory, those past series don’t matter in 2015, but they could prove mentally taxing for a tight Washington team.

If the Capitals plan on winning, they must figure out goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Washington is yet to score more than two goals in a single game this series and only leads 3-2 because its goaltender, Braden Holtby, has been even more brilliant with a shutout and two games in which he allowed one goal.

Holtby and Lundqvist stopped a combined 296 of 311 shots in the first four games for a borderline ridiculous .952 save percentage.

Jared Silber/Getty Images

Capitals coach Barry Trotz discussed the performances, per STATS LLC (h/t ESPN.com): “This might be the best goaltending performance, from both goaltenders, that we’ve seen in the playoffs this year, and maybe in the last decade.”

The problem for Holtby is that fact that he is 0-4 in his career in series-clinching games against the Rangers. New York knocked Washington out of the playoffs in the Capitals’ last two postseason appearances. 

Although this game is in Washington, Lundqvist will prove to be the difference. He and the Rangers are 12-3 in elimination games since 2012, and he has not allowed Capitals sniper Alexander Ovechkin to tally a single point since Game 2.

What’s more, playmaker Nicklas Backstrom doesn’t have an assist in the past four games, and he led the league in that category this year.

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Washington has the lead. Washington has a hot goalie. Washington has home-ice advantage. Washington still won’t win.

The top-seeded Rangers are a force in elimination games, and Lundqvist understands how to beat the Capitals in pressure-packed situations. This one is heading back to the Big Apple.

Prediction: New York 3, Washington 1

Western Conference Game 5: Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks

The Flames are headed back to their house of horrors.

Calgary has one whopping win in Anaheim in the last 11 years (a 2006 playoff victory) and lost the first two games in this series by a combined score of 9-1. In all, the Flames have lost their last 21 games in Anaheim and now must find a way to win with their season on the line.

Part of the problem for Calgary is the balanced offensive attack from the Ducks. Anaheim scored four times in its Game 4 win, and none of the points came from top-line staples Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

Rather, Andrew Cogliano, Patrick Maroon, Jakob Silfverberg and Matt Beleskey all scored and should have plenty of confidence heading back home.

If/when Getzlaf and Perry return to form, the Flames will be in trouble.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Anaheim is looking to shake off the second-round blues with a win on Sunday. Despite three consecutive division titles, It has not made it past the second round since its 2007 Stanley Cup title.

However, Chris Peters of CBSSports.com believes things feel different this time around:

"

This Ducks team has a very different feel than the last two. After winning three straight division titles, the Ducks are actually following up their regular season performance with some exceptional play in the postseason. They hadn't done that in either of the previous two seasons. They were dominant in Games 1 and 2, lost Game 3 late and now earned a victory in what was probably the most even game of this series. Having rolled through Winnipeg and now having a chance to eliminate the Flames in five games, the Ducks have no choice but to view themselves as contenders.

"

Part of that different feel is the home dominance. The Ducks haven’t lost at home this postseason, and the crowd and depth will once again prove too much for the overmatched Flames.

Prediction: Anaheim 4, Calgary 1