NHL Playoff Bracket 2018: Upcoming Stanley Cup TV and Live-Stream Schedule

The starved fans of the Washington Capitals have been waiting for the potential series-clinching moment that could come Monday for years. 

After suffering countless episodes of postseason heartbreak, the Capitals are in position to get past their top rival Pittsburgh, as they bring a 3-2 series lead into PPG Paints Arena. 

Of course the series is not guaranteed to conclude Monday in Pittsburgh, but with the red-hot Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the other side of the ice, it would be best for the Capitals to avoid a trip back home for Game 7. 

Unlike Washington, Winnipeg comes into Monday with the opportunity to finish its series on home ice, as Jets hold a 3-2 series lead over the Nashville Predators. 

The Capitals and Jets displayed over the first five games of their respective series they are capable of finishing off the task in Game 6, but the Penguins and Predators carry plenty of experience into Monday and both could force a Game 7. 

Whichever teams emerge from the pair of conference semifinals will join the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights in the conference finals. 

Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule 

All Times ET. 

Monday, May 7 

Game 6: Washington at Pittsburgh (7 p.m., NBCSN) 

Game 6: Nashville at Winnipeg (9:30 p.m., NBCSN) 

Wednesday, May 9 

Game 7: Pittsburgh at Washington (7:30 p.m., NBCSN)*

Thursday, May 10

Game 7: Winnipeg at Nashville (8 p.m., NBCSN)*

Games can be live-streamed on NBC Sports Live and NBC Sports app. 

Can Washington Finally Get Over the Semifinal Hump? 

Heartbreaking defeats know how to find the Capitals, especially at this stage of the postseason. 

Washington has been eliminated in second round in each of the last three seasons, with the last two coming at the hands of the Penguins. 

Since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 1998, the Capitals qualified for the playoffs on 13 occasions, including this season. 

Six out of the 13 postseason runs ended in the conference semifinal round, while the Penguins are responsible for five of Washington's playoff exits in that span. 

If the Capitals beat the Penguins and advance to the conference final, it would feel like winning a championship given the lack of success in recent years. 

In the Game 5 victory at home, Washington goalie Braden Holtby put together one of the best performances of the postseason, as he denied 36 of 39 shots. 

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Although they scored six goals, the Capitals believe they can improve on their play for Game 6 with the Penguins expected to throw everything at Holtby, as head coach Barry Trotz told Mike Vogel of the team's official website. 

"We're going to have to play much better," Trotz said. "Anybody who gets their backs against the wall, you get their best game, and we're going to need our best game. We need to be better." 

The defensive game plan once again revolves around Crosby, who has three goals and four assists in the series, but the Capitals must account for Guentzel and a few others, with each one of Pittsburgh's lines looking to make an impact. 

Washington needs to replicate the formula used to win Game 2, when it scored the first three tallies of the contest. 

If Holtby makes a collection of early saves, the defense holds Crosby's impact to a minimum and the attack knocks in an early goal or two, the Capitals won't have to come back home to play Game 7. 

Winnipeg Trying To Set Up Date With Vegas

The Jets continued to thrive in the attacking zone against the Predators in Game 5, as they produced six goals to add to their growing haul of 22 tallies. 

Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler lead the Jets with nine points each, while Dustin Byfuglien and Paul Stastny both have seven points. 

Given how successful they've been against the Predators, the Jets should follow a simple strategy of trying to once again overwhelm their Central Division rival. 

With four players above seven points in the series, the Jets know they must benefit from the well-rounded attack, as Wheeler noted to Mitchell Clinton of the team's official website. 

"It's been what's given us success all year," Wheeler said. "It hasn't been one line or a couple guys. Typically its been balanced throughout the lineup in our wins. There have been nights when one line has carried us, then the next night the next line carries us."

Kamil Krzaczynski/Associated Press

In the 6-2 victory that set the Jets up to clinch in Game 6, they had five players find the back of the net, with Kyle Connor being the lone multiple-goal scorer. 

From Nashville's perspective, it has to limit the Jets in a performance similar to Game 4, the only game in the series to feature less than five goals. 

If the Predators are able to tighten up on the defensive side of the ice and receive an impressive performance in net from Pekka Rinne, they'll set themselves up with a chance to send the series back home for Game 7 Thursday. 

The X-factor for the Predators could be P.K. Subban, as he attempts to limit the scoring opportunities of the Jets while creating them in Nashville's attacking zone. 

Even with a defender as powerful as Subban patrolling the ice, the Jets may have too much in attack for the Predators to deal with, and if that's the case, Game 6 is going to be a repeat of Game 5. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Hockey Reference.