NHL Playoffs 2016: Game 5 TV Schedule and Odds for Penguins vs. Lightning

The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to grab a crucial Game 5 win in the Eastern Conference Final at home Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This could be a deciding showdown between the two clubs. Teams with a 3-2 series lead in the NHL playoffs go on to win the round 78 percent of the time, per WhoWins.com. The Penguins have a tremendous chance to earn this advantage, as they are 6-2 at home this postseason.

Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay both play a similar style of quick-transition hockey, which has the two deadlocked in the series. This definitely sets things up for excitement coming down the stretch. Here is a look at the television information, odds and some storylines heading into Game 5. Odds are according to Odds Shark.

Date	Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream
Sunday, May 22	8 p.m.	NBC Sports	NBCSports.com

Team	Odds
Penguins	100-199
Lightning	179-100

Uncertainty in Both Nets

The 21-year-old Matt Murray has been stellar for the Penguins in these playoffs, but the pressure of having Marc-Andre Fleury behind him continues to mount.

Fleury saw his first 2016 postseason action when he replaced Murray to start the third period  in Game 4. He made seven saves during a frame in which his team scored three goals to nearly overcome a 4-0 deficit.

Despite sporting a 2.33 GAA and .923 save percentage this postseason, Murray is not guaranteed to keep his spot in net. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan has yet to name a starter for Game 5, according to the Associated Press (via Fox News).

As ESPN's John Buccigross noted, Fleury is no stranger to conference final success:

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Rob Rossi believes Fleury should get the next start:

"

The Penguins don't have a goaltending controversy. They have a franchise goaltender. And it should be an easy call for their coach for a pivotal Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury's insertion into the Stanley Cup playoffs—long overdue given the recent regression from rookie Matt Murray (though he was hardly at fault for any of the four goals allowed Friday night)—is the spark the Penguins needed in Game 4 at Amalie Arena.

That spark will fortify them to finish what they started with Murray: a Cup run.

"

There is no wrong answer here. Fleury led Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup win in 2009, and Murray has looked like a future star with his play in these playoffs.

The safer play may be the experienced Fleury, as there is no doubting the Pens were rejuvenated in Friday's third period.

For Tampa Bay, Ben Bishop remains day-to-day with a leg injury. However, there is a chance he could play in Game 5, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.

If Bishop is again unable to go, the Lighting will roll with Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes, which is OK with Tampa Bay.

"That's the last thing we have to worry about right now is the goaltending situation," captain Steven Stamkos said, per Smith. "If it weren't for Vasy the last couple games, it could be a lot worse." 

Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay each has two strong options in net, but who will play from game to game is never certain until the puck drops. It is quite possible both of the teams' regular-season starters may not see the ice during the rest of this series.

Nikita Kucherov is Rolling Again

With Stamkos out with a blood clot issue, Nikita Kucherov is Tampa Bay's best offensive player.

The 22-year-old has certainly done his part, racking up 16 points, including nine goals, in 14 playoff games to this point. He has been one of the most productive postseason players over the last two years, according to the Hockey Press:

In this series, Kucherov has yet to score a goal. He was also quiet until the last two games. He totaled four assists, his only points of the series, in Game 3 and 4.

Kucherov seems to be out of his slump, as he is now making more plays to set up others. This is huge for Tampa Bay, who need Kucherov to be at his best if the team hopes to stave off the dangerous Penguins.

If he can start finding the back of the net again in the next few games, the Lightning's chances of winning this series will dramatically rise.

All statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.