Penguins Sweep Blue-Jackets; Raise Pre-Season Record To 3-0

With jobs often on the line and young players always trying to make a name for themselves, pre-season NHL games are always a bit physical and energetic.

The back-to-back games the Pittsburgh Penguins had against the Western Conference's Columbus Blue Jackets were no different and, in fact, had even more spice because of the close geographical proximity between the two clubs.

After sweeping the Blue Jackets by winning 5-4 Friday night in Columbus, and 3-1 last night at the CONSOL Energy Center, the Penguins showed they can not only score, but handle themselves physically, too.

Friday night, the Penguins' offensive weapons took center stage, jumping out to an early lead on goals by forwards Aaron Asham 34 seconds in, and Mike Rupp before the 10 minute mark.

Pittsburgh fell behind 3-2 after that, but rallied with three unanswered goals.  LW Chris Kunitz had a pinball shot go off him to tie the game before the second period ended, then winger Nick Johnson scored from the slot with about 8 minutes left in the 3rd to give the Penguins the lead.

Mike Comrie -- with his 2nd goal in 2 games -- gave the Penguins insurance with a few minutes to go, which they would need when Columbus made it 5-4 with about 35 seconds left, but the Blue Jackets got no closer.

Brent Johnson stopped 18 of 21 shots in 2 periods, while John Curry was real strong in the final frame, stopping 15 of 16.

The Penguins also scored 3 power play goals on 8 chances in the contest.

Last night on home ice, there were more fisticuffs, but still the same result on the scoreboard in the end.

While Columbus got the opening goal in the first period against Pens' netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins were the only team to light the lamp the rest of the way, getting tallies from Pascal Dupuis late in the 2nd period on a Blue Jackets' turnover to tie the score, then goals from Evgeni Malkin and Asham in the 3rd period to finish their Ohio rivals.

Perhaps the most notable thing to cheer about in front of the 18,087 mostly young hockey player fans who attended the game free after the Penguins' organization gave away tickets to the game to youth hockey groups throughout western pennsylvania were the several fights that occurred, including 2 by defenseman Kris Letang and one by Malkin, who won a clear decision over Blue Jackets' star Rick Nash of all people.

I'll have more tomorrow on the state of the Penguins' roster.