NHL playoff scores 2016: Joe Pavelski and Alex Ovechkin one of many stars to shine in Game 5s

Every NHL playoff game winner on Saturday came in desperately needing their most vital players to step up.

The Washington Capitals' situation was the most dire. On the brink of elimination to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the best NHL regular season team has been outgunned and out-hustled by a Penguins team riding a hot streak. If the Capitals capitulated in five games, it would go down as one of the franchise's biggest playoff disappointments in recent memory.

And Alex Ovechkin stepped up. The Capitals' captain worked power-play magic, creating two goals on a Washington man advantage that had been silent for most of the series. And the Capitals survived on to a Game 6.

San Jose had every excuse to play a drained Game 5. After all, they just lost a triple overtime thriller in Nashville two days ago, erasing a 2-0 series lead they had carefully built.

But their veterans stood up. Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau were the best players on the ice for either side, blitzing the Predators into a Game 5 letdown and a 3-2 series lead for the Sharks.

And since the Blues had been out-shot attempted for most of their series with the Dallas Stars, the only way to rebound on the road after dropping Game 4 in overtime was to get a huge game from their netminder.

And Brian Elliott stood up, denying countless Stars chances as his teammates capitalized on scoring chances at the other end. It was the kind of goaltending performance that creates confusing possession graphs like this:

Hockey isn't fair. pic.twitter.com/kwKyYgrq44

— pat iversen (@Pat_Iversen) May 8, 2016

The great thing about this second round is that one instance of these players stepping up won't be enough. You could argue every team that lost on Saturday could turn right around and obliterate their opponents in Game 6. I guess you don't get that deep into an NHL playoff series without the big guns factoring into that topsy-turvy nature.

Blues 4, Stars 1 (STL leads series, 3-2)

Capitals 3, Penguins 1 (PIT leads series, 3-2)

Sharks 5, Predators 1 (SJ leads series, 3-2)

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1. Maybe Kari Lehtonen wasn't the problem in Dallas

Lehtonen started and played splendidly in Game 1. He gave up three goals and got pulled in Game 2. He didn't start again until Game 4, and played very well! He was sort of the difference in Dallas' overtime win. Lehtonen was saddled with the loss in Game 5, but without him the Stars probably lose by more than three goals. No, if the Stars have anything to blame for their impending elimination it's their tepid power play (goalless again on Saturday) and poor coverage in their own zone that leaves their netminders out to dry in this series.

Braden Holtby's stop on Justin Schultz was the moment you realized the Capitals had a legitimate chance at forcing a Game 6.

Remember Tony, AKA @soloucity on Twitter, who fell in love with hockey during the Blues/Blackhawks Game 7? We're dedicating a section in our recaps to the gems of his Twitter account during the playoffs.

Congratulations to @soIoucity, who passed his Hockey Twitter rite of passage today. pic.twitter.com/JfErhlVHFJ

— pat iversen (@Pat_Iversen) May 8, 2016

The @washcaps won Game 5 when facing 3-1 series deficit for 5th time in 8 all-time scenarios. #StanleyCup #WSHvsPIT pic.twitter.com/giUXTx8rXt

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 8, 2016