NHL Report

Dustin Penner could have simply dumped the puck and allowed the clock to run out on the second period of yet another dead-even game.

Instead, he ripped a long slap shot at the net, and it ramped off a St. Louis stick and flew past Brian Elliott right before the buzzer sounded.

"You might as well try," Penner said with a shrug. "You never know if you don't throw it on net."

That's the type of positive thinking that made the Los Angeles Kings into champions, and that's why they finally got rid of the Blues after a bruising first round of their title defense.

Penner scored the tiebreaking goal in the final second of the second period, and the host Kings advanced with their fourth straight victory over the Blues, 2-1 in Game 6 on Friday night.

Jonathan Quick made 21 saves and Drew Doughty scored his first goal of the postseason for the reigning Stanley Cup winners, who won four straight to finish off fourth-seeded St. Louis.