Stanley Cup Playoffs: Penguins Hold Off Columbus Rally, Eliminate Blue Jackets; Wild, Kings Force Game Sevens

Three games were played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Columbus, Ohio:

Evgeni Malkin delivered a hat trick (one of the goals on the power play) as the Pittsburgh Penguins nearly blew a four-goal third-period lead but held on to hold off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 and win their conference quarterfinal series four games to two.  The Penguins will face the winner of the New York Rangers-Philadelphia Flyers series.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At St. Paul, Minnesota:

Zach Parise scored twice (once on a power play) as the Minnesota Wild scored thrice in the third period and put away the visiting Colorado Avalanche 5-2 to square their first-round series at three games apiece.  The series (and the second-round opponent for the Chicago Blackhawks) will be decided in game seven in Denver on Wednesday.

At Los Angeles:

Justin Williams scored twice as the Los Angeles Kings, who once trailed their conference quarterfinal series three games to none, defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1 at home in game six and squared the series at three games apiece.  The Kings are aiming to become only the fourth team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to come back from a three-games-to-none deficit and win a best-of-seven series.  The series will be decided in San Jose on Wednesday with the winner to face off against the Western Conference's top seed, the Anaheim Ducks.