Pens and Blackhawks Hope to Advance

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The decisive seventh game of the Pittsburgh-New York Eastern Conference NHL semifinal is being played tonight on the Penguins' home ice.

The Rangers have held off elimination in two straight games as they trailed the Pens 3-1 in the series before winning the last two contests. Pittsburgh is 0-2 in its last two Game 7's. The Rangers are 3-0 in elimination games this season and 9-2 in their last 11 potential elimination games. New York has never won a best of seven series after trailing 3-1.

The Chicago Blackhawks can earn a spot in the Western Conference final with a win tonight over the Wild in St. Paul., Minn. The Blackhawks top the Wild 3-2 after winning the fifth game Sunday 2-1.

Should a seventh game be called for, it will take place in Chicago Thursday night. Since 2009 the Blackhawks are 11-2 in games with an opportunity to clinch a series. Chicago is also 13-0 over the same time span in the fifth and sixth games of series that were tied 2-2.