NHL Playoffs 2019: Game 5 TV Schedule and Odds for Blues vs. Sharks

The stakes will be the highest they've been in the Western Conference finals for Sunday's Game 5 in San Jose.

Either the San Jose Sharks or St. Louis Blues will move one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup finals with a victory. The loser will be facing elimination and have to follow up with two straight wins to advance.

Through four games, the Sharks and Blues have alternated wins. If that pattern continues, then San Jose would win Game 5, as it took Games 1 and 3. However, St. Louis has been strong on the road, winning six of its eight away games this postseason, which could bode well as it tries to take the lead in this series for the first time.

Here's everything you need to know heading into the most important game of the Western Conference finals thus far.

Game 5 Information

Date: Sunday, May 19

Time: 3 p.m.

TV: NBC

Odds (via Caesars): St. Louis +125 (bet $100 to win $125); San Jose -140 (bet $140 to win $100).

Preview

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Blues are coming off a Game 4 win that was crucial to them remaining in the series. Had they lost, they would have entered Game 5 in hostile territory with a 3-1 deficit.

Instead, St. Louis has evened the series, essentially resetting it. And although San Jose will host Game 5 and a potential Game 7, the Blues remain in a good spot because of their earlier road success this postseason.

"We're a confident group. We're a good road team and it's getting to our game early," St. Louis center Ryan O'Reilly said, according to NHL.com's Louie Korac. "Again we're taking it one game at a time and we want to get out there and establish our game right away. We tied the series. It's a best-of-three now and we have to start preparing for the next one."

The Blues have relied on a balanced scoring attack this postseason, as 18 different players have scored a goal for them through 17 playoff games. They've also had strong performances from rookie goalie Jordan Binnington, who has a 2.58 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

However, the Sharks are led by center Logan Couture, who has 20 points (14 goals, six assists) this postseason, the most of any player in this series.

When San Jose has struggled, it's because it has fallen behind early. The Sharks are 1-4 when they're trailing after the first period this postseason, which includes Friday's Game 4 loss at St. Louis.

"We have to do a better job," Sharks center Gustav Nyquist said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "But coming home, being at the Shark Tank, Game 5 of the Conference Final, we'll be ready to go."

The winner of this series will go on to face the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals. The Bruins haven't played since Thursday, and they won't play again until Game 1 against either the Sharks or Blues.

Although rest can be beneficial in the playoffs, it may also hurt Boston as either San Jose or St. Louis will have momentum coming off winning either a six- or seven-game series in the Western Conference finals.