NHL Playoffs 2017: Latest Stanley Cup Scores, Standings and Predictions

The conference finals are still just getting started, but we've already learned plenty about the teams still competing for the Stanley Cup.

While the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks have shown they can win in a variety of ways, the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins appear destined to have a close battle every time out.

Perhaps most importantly, you should expect each series to last six or seven games, with only a few plays separating the teams. 

Here is what you need to know going forward from each series.

Note: Full bracket available at NHL.com. 

Eastern Conference

Game	Location	Result/Date
1	Pittsburgh	Senators 2, Penguins 1 (OT)
2	Pittsburgh	Monday, May 15
3	Ottawa	Wednesday, May 17
4	Ottawa	Friday, May 19
5	Pittsburgh	Sunday, May 21
6	Ottawa	Tuesday, May 23
7	Pittsburgh	Thursday, May 25

It's clear you don't want to face the Senators in overtime. They have needed extra minutes seven times already this postseason and earned wins in six of those contests.

This continued in Game 1 against the Penguins, when a Bobby Ryan goal handed Ottawa the series lead.

While the luck in close games might run out, that's not the best strategy to rely upon.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau has been the star, with eight goals, but the team has gotten a lot of help from plenty of sources this postseason, with 10 different players tallying at least five points. With the way Craig Anderson has played in net, this is a dangerous team.

However, the Penguins are just too talented and too experienced to keep down.

The defending Stanley Cup winners have some of the best offensive weapons in the sport between Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, all of whom have performed well when healthy this postseason. Surprisingly, the top performer has arguably been Jake Guentzel, the rookie who already has nine goals and five assists in the playoffs.

Although the team was limited to just one goal in the first game of the series, fans should expect this group to recover in Game 2.

"There are a lot of things we need to do better," veteran Matt Cullen said, per Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is a group that has bounced back every time we hit a bump in the road. I would expect us to bounce back again."

Considering the emotional Game 7 win over the Metropolitan Division rival Washington Capitals just a few days earlier, the slow start to the Eastern Conference Final was understandable.

If Marc-Andre Fleury can perform like he has the past couple of games, the Penguins should be able to turn things around in a hurry and return to the Stanley Cup Final.

Prediction: Penguins win in 6 

Western Conference

Game	Location	Result/Date
1	Anaheim	Predators 3, Ducks 2
2	Anaheim	Ducks 5, Predators 3
3	Nashville	Tuesday, May 16
4	Nashville	Thursday, May 18
5	Anaheim	Saturday, May 20
6	Nashville	Monday, May 22
7	Anaheim	Wednesday, May 24

The Predators appeared on their way to a 2-0 lead in the series after winning Game 1 and taking a two-goal advantage in Game 2. However, the Ducks continued their knack for come-from-behind wins, scoring five of the next six goals to earn the much-needed win.

This has been a major theme throughout the playoffs, per Sportsnet:

Anaheim showed it can overcome a three-goal deficit already these playoffs, so it clearly isn't going to give up.

With the way Ryan Getzlaf, Jakob Silfverberg and others have performed, the Ducks have the offense necessary to beat anyone.

On the other hand, Sunday's game was potentially just an aberration for Pekka Rinne. The Predators goalie allowed just 16 goals in his first 11 games of these playoffs, giving him a 1.41 goals against average with a .950 save percentage to lead the NHL in both categories.

He didn't look the same Sunday, allowing four goals on 26 shots. This go-ahead score wasn't his best moment:

If the Ducks figured him out, it could be the end of the series. If it was just a bad game, however, the Predators should be able to bounce back in Game 3.

The next two games of the series are in Nashville, where the Predators are 5-0 this postseason and were significantly better during the regular season. They won't be able to clinch the series by Game 4, but they can take control by reaching expectations.

Nothing will be easy, but more great defense like we saw during the first two rounds will allow Nashville to reach its first Stanley Cup Final.

Prediction: Nashville wins in 6