NHL Playoff Bracket 2020: Updated Conference Live-Stream Schedule, Odds, Picks

By the end of Thursday night, the matchup for this year's Stanley Cup Final could be set. If not, the Eastern Conference Final will be heading to a Game 7.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the team looking to end the Eastern Conference Final in Game 6. Their opponent, the New York Islanders, won Game 5. However, the Lightning have yet to lose consecutive games this postseason, in which they're 13-5.

If New York can win again in Game 6, then the winner-take-all Game 7 would take place Saturday night back in Edmonton.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are awaiting the winner after they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in five games to win the Western Conference title.

Here's a look at the upcoming schedule, current Stanley Cup odds and predictions for how the rest of the postseason will unfold.

Upcoming Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 17

Game 6: No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning at No. 6 New York Islanders, 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network

Saturday, Sept. 19

Game 7 (if necessary): No. 6 New York Islanders at No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC

Games can be streamed live at NBC Sports Live

Stanley Cup Odds

Tampa Bay Lightning: -118 (bet $118 to win $100)

Dallas Stars: +130 (bet $100 to win $130)

New York Islanders: +1050

Odds obtained via DraftKings.

Latest Predictions

Lightning Top Islanders in Game 6 to Advance

The Lightning had another strong defensive performance in Game 5, holding the Islanders to one goal in regulation. They just couldn't generate enough offense, as they also had only one goal through the first three periods and were then held scoreless as New York went on to win 2-1 in double overtime.

Tampa Bay is banged up, which is at least part of the reason for its offensive struggles. Center Brayden Point—the joint-top scorer this postseason—missed Game 3 with an unspecified injury, returned for Game 4 but then sat out Game 5. Right winger Nikita Kucherov—level with Point on 25 points in the playoffs—also missed some time in Game 5 after taking a hard hit, although he returned.

Despite the Lightning likely not being 100 percent, they will bounce back in Game 6 to beat the Islanders and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2015, when they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tampa goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to play at a high level this postseason. His lone blemish this series came when he allowed four goals in a Game 3 loss. In the other four games combined, he's allowed six goals.

As long as the Lightning can get a couple early goals, Vasilevskiy should get it done again Thursday. And the sense of urgency should be higher for Tampa Bay as it looks to avoid a Game 7, so it will use a fast start to put away New York for good.

Rested Stars Win Competitive Stanley Cup Final Against Lightning

While the Lightning have some injury concerns and haven't had the opportunity to rest, the Stars will be well rested when the Stanley Cup Final begins. They haven't played since their Game 5 win over the Golden Knights on Monday, and if the Eastern Conference Final goes seven games, they will have even more time to prepare.

Although it can hurt a team to have long breaks, it could benefit Dallas at this point in the postseason, as it played a six-game series against the Calgary Flames in the first round and a seven-game series against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. Plus, Tampa Bay may still be banged up, which would give the Stars even more of an advantage.

Not only is Dallas fresh, but it's coming off its most impressive showing of the postseason. Vegas was the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and got off to a great start in the playoffs. Yet the Stars defense, led by goaltender Anton Khudobin, shut down the Golden Knights offense, holding them to eight total goals in the five-game series.

Dallas is also using the downtime to scout its potential opponents.

"We'll be well prepared regardless of who we play," Stars coach Rick Bowness said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "We have time now to take a good look at both teams. There will be no surprises."

Dallas is set to make its first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2000. And it will be celebrating its first Cup since 1999—expect a competitive series between the Stars and the Lightning but for the Texan outfit to end up on top.