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  Saturday, Oct. 21 7:30pm ET
Lang scores twice in Penguins' win
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins did what they were supposed to against the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets, although it wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Robert Lang scored two power-play goals as the Penguins beat Columbus 5-2 Saturday night.

But the Penguins needed three power-play goals and a strong game from goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin to finally put Columbus away.

"We won. We'll take it," Penguins defenseman Darius Kasparaitis said. "But we're not satisfied with this game at all."

Said Blue Jackets goalie Ron Tugnutt, "Five-on-five, I thought we played right with them. We may even have had the better of it five-on-five. The power plays made the difference."

Jaromir Jagr scored his seventh goal of the season into an empty net with 1:21 left in the third period for his only point of the game as the Blue Jackets did a good job against the league's three-time scoring champion. Jagr had three shots on goal in the first period but didn't get another until he scored into the empty net from center ice.

The Penguins were 3-for-7 on power-play chances and are 4-1-1 since losing their season opener to Nashville in Japan.

"We took some penalties we shouldn't have taken," Columbus coach Dave King said.

The expansion Blue Jackets are 1-6-0, with their only victory coming at Calgary, 3-2 on Oct. 12.

Roman Simicek scored the first of three second-period goals for the Penguins, breaking a 1-1 tie at 2:58. With Simicek and Lang both at the net, Simicek got his stick on Matthew Barnaby's centering pass.

Lang got his second of the game at 5:28 as he and Simicek swung at the rebound of Alexei Kovalev's point shot.

Kasparaitis made it 4-1 at 6:15, beating Ron Tugnutt with a 50-foot shot from the right point for his first goal in 49 games. Both goals came during a double minor to Kevin Dineen for high-sticking.

Lang scored the game's first goal at 18:07 of the first period when he lifted Jiri Slegr's rebound under the crossbar. All five of Lang's goals this season have come on the power play.

Geoff Sanderson scored for Columbus at 1:55 of the second. David Vyborny scored his fourth goal for the Blue Jackets on a power play 38 seconds into the third period.

Game notes
Vyborny has points in four of the Blue Jackets' last five games. ... Tugnutt, who played for the Penguins at the end of last season and starred in the playoffs, is 2-11-1 career against Pittsburgh. ... The Penguins are actually 3-1 on home ice, because their loss in Japan counts against their home record. ... Jagr has been held scoreless in just one game this season. ... Simicek left the game after his goal because of dizziness. He was knocked to the ice and the Penguins said he was held out as a precaution.
 


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NHL Scoreboard

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RECAPS
Toronto 2
Calgary 1

Montreal 5
Carolina 2

Atlanta 6
Ottawa 6

Anaheim 4
Philadelphia 3

NY Islanders 4
Washington 4

Detroit 5
Buffalo 4

New Jersey 7
Tampa Bay 2

Pittsburgh 5
Columbus 2

Dallas 4
Los Angeles 3

San Jose 5
Nashville 3

St. Louis 1
Chicago 0

Phoenix 3
Vancouver 2

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Goalie Ron Tugnutt makes a spectacular behind-the-back save against the Penguins.
avi: 506 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1