NHL Playoffs 2016: Updated TV Schedule, Title Odds Before Game 7 Action

Game 7.

There isn’t a better combination of two words in all of sports, and the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning will square off Thursday in the NHL Eastern Conference Final with their seasons and championship dreams on the line.

There would have been two Game 7s had the St. Louis Blues held up their end in the Western Conference, but the San Jose Sharks captured Game 6 and the series Wednesday with a 5-2 victory.

Here is a look at the Game 7 schedule and title odds with one spot left to fill in the Stanley Cup Final. The odds are courtesy of Odds Shark and current as of Thursday at 12:30 a.m. ET (last updated on May 18):

Matchup	Date	Time	TV
Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins	Thursday, May 26	8 p.m. ET	NBC Sports Network

Team	Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins	7-4
San Jose Sharks	13-4
Tampa Bay Lightning	17-4

Game 7 Storylines and Prediction

Rotating Goaltenders

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Who is occupying the space between the pipes for the Penguins has been one of the most intriguing subplots of the Eastern Conference Final.

On the one hand, there is 22-year-old rookie Matt Murray. He started the first four games of the series and was back in net Tuesday for Game 6, when he led the Penguins to the 5-2 victory on the road. He kept their title hopes alive by saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 save percentage) and was unbeatable until the third period.

However, there is also veteran star Marc-Andre Fleury, who entered in the third period of Game 4 and started Game 5, which Pittsburgh lost. Fleury is a two-time All-Star and was a force during the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run in 2009. What’s more, he sports a save percentage of better than .900 and a goals-against average of under three every season since 2005-06.

On paper, Fleury appears to have the resume for the job, but Murray has the hot hand.

The rookie is 10-4 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in the playoffs compared to Fleury’s 3.03 goals-against average and .875 save percentage in a mere two contests.

Murray also earned the trust of coach Mike Sullivan, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com: “I think that's just part of his DNA. He has a calming influence. He doesn't get rattled. If he lets a goal in, he just continues to compete. Usually it takes years to acquire that, and to have it at such a young age is impressive.” 

Look for Murray to use that “calming influence” one more time and lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final.

Lightning Have Been There and Done That

While Murray’s play is an advantage for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay can at least fall back on its recent experience.

It lost Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final last year on home ice to the New York Rangers 7-3. Just when it looked like the Lightning were done, heading back to the Big Apple, they bounced back and won Game 7 2-0.

They will have to do the same thing Thursday on the road after missing the opportunity to clinch the series in Tampa Bay in Game 6. While the Lighting eventually lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks last season, they know they can thrive in these back-against-the-wall situations on the road.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper suggested as much, per Rosen: “What I can take from last year is we went to Game 7 and we won Game 7. I bet we’ll be thinking about that.”

History suggests the Lightning will be up for the Game 7 battle, per the NHL:

Tampa Bay has already won in Pittsburgh twice this series and finished a solid 21-18-2 on the road during the regular season. It won’t be intimidated by the moment just because it is away from the comforts of home.

Superstar Factor with Some Help

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Lightning may have some Game 7 history on their side, but the Penguins have a transcendent superstar in Sidney Crosby.

According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Crosby has scored the game-winning goal in each of Pittsburgh’s three victories this series. He also tallied a critical early assist in Game 6 during the Penguins' five-on-three power play, but it was his ability to slice right through the Tampa Bay defense and find the back of the net that truly stood out, via the NHL:

In all, he has three goals and two assists in the series and has the overall skill set and potential to single-handedly take over a game at any moment, as he proved Tuesday with the assist and spectacular goal.

However, it is not all Crosby on the Pittsburgh attack. The Lightning are forced to shift additional defensive attention toward the superstar when he is on the ice, but other Penguins are coming through in important moments, as Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review illustrated:

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Winger Bryan Rust, easily the Penguins' best forward in their Game 5 loss, guaranteed the Penguins would win Game 6 with his late third-period goal. It was set up by the Penguins' second best forward from Game 5 and easily their best of the series, Chris Kunitz.

Think about that for a minute.

Kunitz, given up on by most Penguins fans, and Rust, never really considered by many Penguins fans, are fanning the flames for the Penguins.

But centers Evgeni Malkin (a point in each of the past four games) and [Crosby] (a goal and an assist in Game 6) have never played fewer average minutes in a postseason series.

"

With Sullivan able to buy additional time for his star (and Malkin), Crosby has been fresher when he is on the ice. That, in turn, has led to the game-winning goals and the brilliant moves that have left Tampa Bay defenders helpless.

With Murray locking down the other side, Crosby will once again find the net during a critical stretch in Game 7 and lead the Penguins to the Eastern Conference Championship.

Prediction: Penguins 3, Lightning 2