NHL Playoff Schedule 2017: Latest Times, TV Info for Stanley Cup Bracket

Three series remain now as the second round of the 2017 NHL playoffs begin to wrap up, and we will finally see a Game 7 after the opening round failed to produce such a matchup. 

The Anaheim Ducks will look to rebound from a 7-1 drubbing from the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6, while the Washington Capitals could eliminate some postseason demons by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Pittsburgh Penguins. There is also potential for another Game 7, as the New York Rangers try to force the series back to Ottawa after several squandered opportunities to advance.

Let us take a look at the latest schedule in the quest to move one step closer to the Stanley Cup. Continue for a breakdown of the three remaining matchups.

Tuesday, May 9
Wednesday, May 10
Thursday, May 11
Matchup	Game	Start Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream
Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers	6	7:30 p.m.	NBC Sports	NBC Sports Live
Matchup	Game	Start Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream
Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals	7	7:30 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks	7	10 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live
Matchup	Game	Start Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream
New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators	7*	7:30 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live

Ottawa vs. New York

The Rangers are the better hockey team in this series, as they possess a definitive edge in offensive and defensive depth despite missing a superstar like Ottawa's Erik Karlsson. 

Yet, despite all six defenseman averaging at least 19 minutes per night, New York has not been the more effective team down the stretch. The team is down 3-2 in this series, with all three losses coming after New York held a late lead, only to lose the contest in the third period or overtime. 

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who has been inconsistent for stretches in this series, acknowledged that the team's play with Ottawa's goalie pulled has been inexcusable, per Andrew Gross of The Record. Twice the Senators preceded an overtime win with an empty-net tally, but Lundqvist stressed that the Rangers have to move on if they hope to move forward in this matchup.

"Look what they've done to us six-on-five,” Lundqvist said. "But that's the past. We focus on tomorrow. Personally, I know how I need to play my game to have success. I just need to do it tomorrow and do it well."

The other oddity here is that the Senators are 3-0 this series at home, but New York entered this matchup with the best road record in the NHL. Home ice has been kind to the Rangers in these playoffs though, as they are 4-1 with a 16-5 goal differential.

Also in New York's favor heading into Game 6 is Lundqvist's history in such situations, via NHL.com's Dan Rosen:

New York responded emphatically at home when the series was 2-0 in favor of Ottawa. The team flexed its strength and rolled over the Senators, and that should happen again on Tuesday. Anything can happen in Game 7, but look for the Rangers to get clicking heading into that showdown.

Washington vs. Pittsburgh

Just when it appeared the Captials were set for another postseason bust after claiming the Presidents' Trophy, the team has new life.

In the first four games, it was Pittsburgh who received timely scoring and goaltending, but the tables have turned. Washington has six third-period goals in the last two games, while Pittsburgh was only able to score twice in the final few minutes of Game 6. The Penguins led in this area 6-3 over the first four games.

The other change is between the two goaltenders. Braden Holtby had posted a goals-against average below 2.00 and a save percentage of .935 or above in three of his four playoff runs before this postseason, but he has struggled thus far to a 2.49 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

This is hindering the Capitals, even though they have controlled play for most of this series. Holtby has an abysmal .878 save percentage in six games, while Marc-Andre Fleury was stellar with a .937 save percentage in the first four games before stumbling over the last two.

As NHL.com's Tom Gulitti noted on Monday, the Penguins' shaky defense is the main suspect for the situation they are in now, as Fleury can only do so much in net:

Per Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski, Washington players cited the impending proposition of once again failing to get past the second round of the postseason giving the team a new determined attitude. The effects have obviously been positive on the ice, as Kevin Shattenkirk noted the team's focus on playing looser:

"

I think obviously with the history in this locker room, what's happened in the past, it can cause you to grip your stick a little bit tighter, cause you to just not make the normal plays that we're capable of making. In my mind, we've seen that it hasn't worked when we play like that. We're a pretty loose group when we're playing well.

"

If it plays a complete game, Washington should advance based on its physical advantage through its four lines and three defense pairings. However, Pittsburgh could make this a game of runs, which greatly favors the road team.

Multiple times this series the Penguins have overwhelmed the Capitals with multiple goals in short time spans. They scored twice in a minute in Game 1, twice with the goalie pulled in Game 3 and twice in just over minute late in Game 6. The Capitals have the slight edge heading into Game 7, but look our for an experienced Pittsburgh to bring the heat in certain stretches to possibly steal this series.

Anaheim vs. Edmonton

Ryan Getzlaf, with 10 points in six games, has been the main star for Anaheim, but the Ducks have been helped greatly by a strong supporting cast featuring Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg and a swift skating defensive group.

On the other hand, Leon Draisaitl is pacing Edmonton's offense. He went off for a hat trick in Game 6, and he is on a tear in recent games thanks in large part to playing an Anaheim team he owned this season, per Oilers radio play-by-play man Jack Michaels and 630 CHED's Bob Stauffer:

This could exacerbate a disturbing trend for Anaheim, as it went up 3-2 in a playoff series in each of the last four seasons only to lose in Games 6 and 7. Speedy forward Andrew Cogliano recognized this issue after Game 6 on Sunday, but he feels it has no effect on this series, per the Los Angeles Times' Helene Elliott.

"You know what, don't care. I just don't care. I think we've played hard this series. I think we've done well. I think we've been in this series right from the beginning. They played well, too, and I think it's going to come down to one game in terms of who wants it more.

Tonight they outclassed us. They outplayed us. They out-wanted it, and until we do it there's going to be a lot of talking, so I think we more need to just go and play."

That is the right attitude to have, but Anaheim's goaltending will have to improve.

John Gibson was chased from the net in Game 6 after allowing three fairly easy five-hole goals in the first period. He has an awful .885 save percentage in this series while conceding 18 goals in six games. He has not been able to consistently slow down Edmonton's Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, but the goals against have not been all his fault.

There is no excuse for a veteran-laden team like Anaheim to lead all teams this postseason with over 15 penalty minutes per game. Yet, it does, and the Ducks rank last among remaining teams with a 68.3 penalty kill rate. In this series, the Oilers have seven extra-man goals on 25 attempts, which is a huge reason why a player like Mark Letestu has six points over that span.

Similar to Washington, Anaheim is the more complete team in this series, but mental lapses have allowed the upstart Oilers to remain in this series. The Ducks are taking far too many penalties, and slow starts are making things much more difficult than they should be.

The Oilers jumped out to a two-goal lead or more in the first period in two of the last three games, and the Ducks have allowed at least two unanswered goals in every game this series. The fact that it is still in this series shows how dominant Anaheim can be when it focuses and plays its game for long stretches. Edmonton just cannot match the Ducks' team speed across the entire lineup.

It is tough to fully trust Anaheim to close out this series due to its history and sometimes horrible play in this series. The Ducks are the better team, but this Game 7 looks to be a toss-up.

Statistics are courtesy of NHL.com unless otherwise noted.