COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Stern John scored three goals in the second half as the Columbus Crew beat D.C. United 5-1 Sunday in the second game of their best-of-3 series for the Eastern Conference title.

	D.C. United's Jaime Moreno, left, pressures Columbus' John DeBrito.

With the hat trick, John has five postseason goals this year.

John's first goal came in the 48th minute off a pass from Todd Yeagley. John dribbled around defender Diego Sonora, and put a shot past goalkeeper Tom Presthus' right side. John scored again in the 61st minute off a corner kick by Robert Warzycha.

John put the Crew up 5-1 in the 84th minute by dribbling around Presthus to put a shot in the upper right corner.

United starting the game looking like the two-time champs they are when Roy Lassiter took advantage of ball deflected by defender Ansil Elcock and tapped in a goal in the 7th minute to put D.C. up 1-0.

Lassiter's goal turned out to be the only shot on goal for United. Columbus had nine shots on goal and led in total shots 17-5.

Elcock tied the game 1-1 in the 20th minute off an assist by Andy Williams. Elcock dribbled inside the box and scored on a soft shot from 14 yards out.

Jeff Cunningham scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 41st minute by splitting two defenders and blasting a shot past Presthus from 20 yards out to put the Crew up 2-1. Williams and John DeBrito assisted on the play.

This is the third straight year United and the Crew have met in the conference finals. United swept the series in 1997 and beat the Crew in three games last year. United won the MLS Cup Championship in 1996 and 1997, before losing to Chicago last season.

Game 3 of the series will be played next Saturday in RFK Stadium where United has won all 12 meetings against the Crew, including four playoff wins.

The winner will face the winner of the Los Angeles-Dallas Western Conference final in MLS Cup '99 on Nov. 21 at Foxboro, Mass.