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

The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup a year ago with a combination of speed, razor-sharp offense and enough physical play to keep opponents off balance.

They have struggled to find those elements of their game and put them on display consistently this postseason. Those issues disappeared Sunday, as the Pens rolled over the Ottawa Senators 7-0 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Penguins followed much of the same formula the Senators used in Game 3, when they took a 4-0 first-period lead en route to a 5-1 victory. The Penguins built the 4-0 first-period lead this time and eased to the win.

The Senators may have been blown out in the game, but they will return home Tuesday night for Game 6 with a chance to even the series. The size of the loss may have brought one benefit for head coach Guy Boucher in that the Sens did not play superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson over the final 24 minutes of the game.

Since the game was out of hand, Boucher decided rest was the proper strategy with the hope that Karlsson and the Sens will be much sharper when they return to Ottawa. Karlsson has been playing with a foot injury throughout the postseason.

Defenseman Olli Maatta opened the scoring for the Penguins with his second goal in two games. Sidney Crosby followed with his goal before Bryan Rust and Scott Wilson added goals before the end of the first period.

"Obviously the team played extremely well tonight," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said, per Wes Crosby of NHL.com. "Every line, we liked. It was a solid effort. ... This was one of the more complete efforts, for sure. We've had a few of them. This is one of them. I thought our guys had a readiness about them tonight that we're going to need moving forward."

Matt Murray made the start for the Penguins for the second game in a row and recorded his second career postseason shutout.

Pittsburgh bounced back from its blowout loss in Game 3 to win two successive games. The Sens have to do the same thing if they are going to earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Final and knock out the defending champions.

Ottawa will host Game 6 Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET, and the NBCSN will televise the game.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press/Associated Press

The Nashville Predators will try to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final Monday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks at 8 p.m. in another game that will be broadcast by NBCSN.

The Predators earned a 3-1 victory Saturday night in Anaheim, executing a near-perfect road-game plan.

Nashville had to play without leading playoff scorer Ryan Johansen, who underwent emergency for acute compartment syndrome on his left thigh, and captain Mike Fisher. Nevertheless, head coach Peter Laviolette was able to instill a sense of purpose in his players and there was no self-pity.

After falling behind 1-0, Colin Wilson scored the tying goal late in the second period with a nasty backhand shot on the power play. Pontus Aberg followed with the go-ahead goal midway through the third period when he chased down a Filip Forsberg rebound and wristed into the open side of the net past Jonathan Bernier.

Bernier replaced John Gibson ahead of the second period after the Anaheim starter suffered a lower-body injury.

Gibson said he wants to play in Game 6, but head coach Randy Carlyle could not assure the media the goalie would be ready.

Wilson spoke to Robby Stanley of NHL.com ahead of the potential decider: "We obviously know what's at stake. It is one game at a time, but we know that our next win puts us into contention for the Stanley Cup. That is something we're focused on, but it is just about that next game and getting that next win."

Expect a maximum effort from the Ducks in the win-or-go-home scenario.