NHL Playoffs 2018: Latest Stanley Cup Scores and Predictions

The NHL Eastern Conference Final has reached Game 7 for the fourth consecutive season. 

Including Wednesday's match at Amalie Arena, the Tampa Bay Lightning have participated in three of those four Game 7s. 

The Lightning advanced past the New York Rangers in 2015, but they suffered a setback at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins a year later. 

Pittsburgh, who trudged past Ottawa on its way to a second straight Stanley Cup in 2017, saw its reign at the top of the NHL end in the second round at the hands of Washington. 

While the Lightning have been in this situation before, the Capitals are playing for their first Stanley Cup final berth since 1998. 

Latest Scores

Eastern Conference Final

Game 6: Washington 3, Tampa Bay 0

Predictions

Tampa Bay over Washington 

Tampa Bay doesn't have much going for it entering the series finale, but it does carry previous Game 7 conference final experience into Wednesday. 

The Lightning have been a perennial contender to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup final, and they have the luxury of finishing the series on home ice. 

While home-ice advantage hasn't meant much in the series, the Lightning held serve in Game 5 behind a fast start that put the Capitals under pressure from the opening faceoff. 

Jon Cooper's team needs a similar start in Game 7 in order to erase a poor Game 6 from its mind. 

With a return to the Stanley Cup final hanging in the balance, the Lightning should make their presence known in the first period behind center Steven Stamkos and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

Stamkos leads the Lightning with six points in the series, while Vasilevskiy produced a .910 save percentage over six games. 

Vasilevskiy's play improved in Games 3, 4 and 5, as he let in two goals in each contest, and if he holds the Capitals to two goals or less in Game 7, the Lightning should be in good shape. 

The Capitals faced every imaginable type of adversity in the postseason, as it rallied back from two games down against Columbus in the first round and defeated longtime nemesis Pittsburgh in the second round. 

Barry Trotz's team piled on to the list of postseason achievements with a bounce-back win in Game 6 on home ice, a game which it controlled from the outset.

The Capitals carry most of the momentum in the series into Game 7, but they have to expect a swift response from the Lightning. 

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

In order to advance to the Stanley Cup final by way of an away win, the Capitals must replicate the pressure they produced in front of the Tampa Bay net in Game 6.

However, the one thing the Capitals must improve on is finishing scoring opportunities in the first period, as they couldn't beat Vasilevskiy until late in the second period Monday. 

Tampa Bay should come out fast on home ice, and the pressure immediately put on Washington goalie Braden Holtby will produce a momentum-changing goal. 

Although the Capitals will get back into the game at some point, the Lightning should overpower them in the third period to earn a return to the championship series. 

Vegas over Tampa Bay 

Regardless of which team wins Wednesday we're going to have to wait until Monday for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. 

Vegas qualified for the final series of the postseason Sunday, as it took Game 5 from Winnipeg to finish off a 4-1 series victory. 

The Golden Knights are 12-3 in the postseason, and they're riding the top in-form goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury. 

Jason Halstead/Getty Images

Starting the Stanley Cup final on the road in Tampa shouldn't faze the Golden Knights, as they thrived in Winnipeg by earning the first of four consecutive victories in Game 2. 

If they're able to pick up a game on their travels at Amalie Arena, the series could be over before it reaches T-Mobile Arena given the home-ice advantage the expansion team possesses. 

In addition to receiving impressive play in net from Fleury, the team's top forwards are showing no signs of slowing down. 

Centers Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson have 18 and 13 postseason points, respectively, while right winger Reilly Smith has 16 points, 14 of which are assists. 

Although they've received contributions from further down the offensive lineup, the focal points in attack for Vegas are Marchessault, Karlsson and Smith. 

For most teams, more than a week off between series would affect them, but Vegas has already been through an extended layoff in the postseason, and Tampa Bay will be facing a similar situation with four days off. 

With Fleury in the form of his life, the Golden Knights should be in contention to win every game. That means the Lightning must be perfect throughout the series, which is something they haven't been against Washington. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Hockey Reference