COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins finally flexed their offensive muscles. And they needed every bit of scoring they could muster. Malkin had a hat trick and the Penguins almost blew a four-goal lead before holding off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Monday night to clinch their first-round playoff series in six games. "Its more important that we win the game and (end) the series," Malkin said of the 10th time hes scored three times in a game in his career. "Going into the second round now, you feel so much better when you have confidence. I hope in the next round I can score more." Pittsburgh awaits the winner of the New York-Philadelphia series, with the Rangers leading 3-2 going into Tuesday nights Game 6. Its a good thing for the Penguins that Malkin -- scoreless in his past nine playoff games including the first five in the series -- finally found the net. The Blue Jackets, closer to making tee times than thinking about a Game 7, scored three times in a 4:52 span in the third period to turn up the pressure on the Penguins, an overwhelming favourite before the series got under way. "Were a proud group in here," forward Brandon Dubinsky said. "We didnt want to get embarrassed on home ice. If it was going to be our last game of the season, we didnt want to have any quit. We didnt have any quit in this locker room all season. We just kept pushing and pushing." Brandon Sutter also scored before leaving with an injury and Matt Niskanen had two assists as the Penguins became the first team in the series to score first and win -- but barely. Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves and made a couple of big stops after the game turned into a squeaker. "It was a good test," he said of the wild last few minutes. Coach Dan Bylsma said the toe-to-toe matchup heralded a new level of contentious play between the teams. "Weve got a rivalry going here with the Jackets," he said. "They gave us everything we could handle and it was a nice series for them. That was an extremely tough first-round opponent." Fedor Tyutin, Artem Anisimov and Nick Foligno scored for Columbus, Folignos redirect of a Tyutin shot cut the gap to a goal with 4:47 left. A crowd of 19,189 stood and roared the rest of the way as the Blue Jackets piled up scoring chances. The Penguins were hard pressed to fight off the aggressive Blue Jackets after goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who also had 24 saves, was pulled for an extra attacker with under 2 minutes left. Matt Calvert was wide with a potential tying shot with 3:30 left. Dubinskys shot with 35 seconds left was deflected by Fleury. Columbus had overcome a 3-0 deficit at home in Game 4, scoring on a Fleury gaffe in the final seconds of regulation before Foligno won it in the overtime. "After we got the third goal, anything could happen," coach Todd Richards said. "We had done it the last time we played in the building. My thought was it was going to happen." Up until the last few minutes, it was Malkins game. He hadnt scored in the first 332:52 of the series, then scored three times in a span of 26:11. "I could see it coming in the morning skate," teammate James Neal said. "His shot was going into the back of the net." The Blue Jackets, one of the NHLs youngest teams, looked hopeless until Tyutins shot from the right dot ended Fleurys shutout streak at 97:26 -- since the Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the first period of Game 5. But then Anisimov scored from the left point with 6:06 remaining to make it 4-2 and Foligno redirected a Tyutin shot to cut the lead to 4-3. "That was a big win," said Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, who went goal-less in the series. "Obviously we didnt want to make it as close as we did. But we found a way to win." Notes: The Penguins improved to 8-4 in Game 6s when up 3-2 in the playoffs. ... Columbus was without veteran forward (and Pittsburgh native) R.J. Umberger (shoulder). ... For the second game in a row, the Penguins didnt have D Brooks Orpik, sidelined with an undisclosed injury. ... Sutter was limping as he went to the dressing room in the second period. He did not return. Joe Vitale went knee-to-knee with a Blue Jacket early in the third and was in pain as he left the ice. Fake NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . Chelsea took until the second half to trouble the leagues bottom team, but Schuerrle then ripped through the defence with ease at Craven Cottage to keep Jose Mourinhos side on track for the title. Fake NFL Jerseys Online .com) - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 11. https://www.fakenfljerseys.com/. Hawkins severely sprained his left ankle while making a diving catch during training camp and went on injured reserve with a designation he could return midway through the season. He was back at practice Wednesday. Fake NFL Jerseys Cheap . -- Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday and helping the Twins top the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31.WASHINGTON - With his Wizards leading the Heat by 15 after two quarters, 37-year-old Paul Pierce implored his younger teammates to put the game away.Well, Paul had a joke at halftime, said point guard John Wall. He said: Let me get a rest. Lets get it to like 25, so I can take a break.Wizards coach Randy Wittman offered a simple message, too, asking his players to focus at one particular end of the court.I said, Its the first team that really comes in and turns the screws defensively, Wittman said.Both Pierce and Wittman got what they wanted. Wall ran the offence to perfection, scoring 18 points and 13 assists, Washington held Miami to 0 for 12 on 3-point tries in the second half, and the Wizards beat the Heat 107-86 on Wednesday night.Probably our best game, from start to finish, said Wittman, whose team improved to 11-5.Rasual Butler scored 23, and Marcin Gortat added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who never trailed and led by 21 in the first half and 25 in the second.Whether its the schemes, whether its 1-on-1, they picked us apart, said Chris Bosh, who led Miami with 21 points.Dwyane Wade had 20 in his second game back from an injured right hamstring. A night earlier, Wade returned after missing seven games and scored 27 points in a victory at New York.Wade offered a frank assessment of Miamis failure to slow down Washington.I dont think weve gotten to the defence weve wanted all year, Wade said. Were still fairly new; a lot of the guys are still confused at what were trying to do.They werent much better on offence in the second half, shooting 32.4 per cent on field-goal attempts, missing all 12 of their 3-point attempts.The Heat came into the game leading the NBA in 3-point shooting at 38.6 per cent, but they made only 9.dddddddddddd.1 per cent this time, 2 for 22. They opened the game 0 for 8 on 3s, until Bosh made one with about six minutes left in the first half.The only other successful 3-pointer for Miami was by Norris Cole with 10.9 seconds left in the first half.We did a good job of staying home and getting a hand in their face, Wittman said. They missed some, too. It wasnt all us. They had some pretty good looks they missed.The Wizards went 10 for 19 on 3-pointers, including 7 for 7 while taking a 64-49 lead at halftime. That marked a season-best for a first half by Washington.___TIP-INSHeat: Shabazz Napier finished 0 for 5 on 3-pointers, Mario Chalmers was 0 for 4, Luol Deng and Shawne Williams were both 0 for 2, Bosh and Cole were both 1 for 3, and three players missed one attempt each.Wizards: Washington improved to 7-2 at home. ... The Wizards previous high point total for a first half this season was 57 points against Detroit on Nov. 12. ... Nene sat out his fourth consecutive game with an injured right foot.BUTLERS BIG NIGHTButler began his career with the Heat after getting chosen in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft.They let him go, Gortat observed. What other motivation (do) you need?HEAT GRADEBosh was asked what grade hed give the Heat, who dropped to 9-8 in their first season since LeBron James departed for Cleveland.I dont know. Thats not my position. Im not a teacher. We deserve our record, Bosh said. Im never legitimately concerned until youre in a very compromising position. And were not in a compromising position right now. Were just working out the kinks.UP NEXTHeat: Host the Hawks on Wednesday.Wizards: Host the Lakers on Wednesday.___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich ' ' '