3 players who will swing Game 7

Players often say it's "just another game," but there's no denying Game 7 brings out the best in them.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Ottawa Senators in a winner-take-all matchup Thursday night, with a berth in the Stanley Cup Final on the line.

Both teams feature plenty of players who've come up big throughout these playoffs and in postseasons past.

Here are a few players who should have a significant impact in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final:

Evgeni Malkin

Malkin has been the most productive Penguin in the playoffs, posting 24 points in 18 games, or five more than Sidney Crosby in one more game played.

The Russian sniper scored Pittsburgh's lone goal in Game 6, and he's chipped in six points over the first six contests in this series.

It's not just his recent success that makes him a prime candidate to influence this game, either. Malkin also has six points in six career Game 7s, and the Penguins are 4-2 in those contests.

Look for No. 71 to bring his A-game Thursday night.

Craig Anderson

The Senators need yet another stellar performance from Anderson, but he could very well give them one.

Both Anderson and Penguins goaltender Matt Murray have looked sharp this spring, the latter albeit in a smaller time frame since returning from injury.

But given the Senators' lack of firepower and their well-documented defensive style, Anderson's play is far more critical to his team's success, and he's largely held up his end of the bargain in this postseason.

The 36-year-old was lit up and pulled from Game 5, but he's posted a .938 save percentage in the series, and is coming off a 45-save effort in Game 6.

Phil Kessel

Kessel is on a point-per-game pace in the playoffs, with 18 points in as many games, and five of those came in the first six games of the conference final.

He scored the winner in Game 2 against the Senators and has three points in five career Game 7s.

Kessel's ice time was unusually low in Games 4 and 5 (14:46 and 12:56, respectively), but it ballooned back up to his customary 19 minutes (18:58, to be precise) in Game 6.

Look for him to play that much or more in Game 7, and he should continue to use his speed and skill to crack through Ottawa's neutral zone congestion.

Considering the Penguins have home ice, the edge in the experience department, more dynamic scorers, and stabilized goaltending once again, it's Pittsburgh's game to lose.