Pittsburgh Penguins (10-2-0) at Columbus Blue Jackets (6-5-0), 7 p.m.

Sports Network | October 30, 2009

(Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to continue their sizzling start to the season when they visit Columbus to face the struggling Blue Jackets tonight at Nationwide Arena.

The Penguins have picked up where they left off last spring when they won the Stanley Cup and are 10-2-0 so far in 2009-10. Pittsburgh had a seven-game winning streak halted Saturday against visiting New Jersey, but rebounded with Wednesday's blowout victory over Montreal.

However, the Pens will have to get by without centerman Evgeni Malkin for the next few weeks as last year's Art Ross and Conn Smythe Trophy winner deals with a strained right shoulder. The Russian superstar has four goals and 10 assists in 12 games this year and it's expected he'll miss the next two-to- three weeks with the injury.

Pittsburgh breezed to a 6-1 home win over the Canadiens as Sidney Crosby recorded his third career hat trick to lead the way at Mellon Arena. Crosby has nine goals and 14 points this season and has recorded a point in five straight games.

"I felt good, I felt like I was getting chances," Crosby said. "But I try not to think about that too much. You don't want to jinx it or think about it. But I just wanted to make sure I kept creating chances."

Chris Kunitz finished with a goal and three assists, while Bill Guerin added three helpers for Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves in the victory and is 9-1-0 on the season. Fleury is 2-0-1 in four career games against Columbus and is expected to get the start tonight.

Pittsburgh forward Tyler Kennedy, who has five goals and an assist this year, missed Wednesday's game with an undisclosed injury and is questionable for tonight's test.

The Penguins are beginning a stretch tonight of five road tests in six games. Pittsburgh is 5-0-0 as the guest this year, setting a club record for most consecutive road wins to begin a season. The Pens will host Minnesota on Sunday before heading out on a four-game road trip.

The Blue Jackets began the season by winning five out of six, but have since dropped four out of five contests and are carrying a two-game skid into tonight's affair.

Columbus was pounded at home on Wednesday, as the Phoenix Coyotes recorded a 4-1 decision at Nationwide Arena.

Derick Brassard had the lone score for the Blue Jackets, while Steve Mason stopped 19-of-23 shots.

"Too many plays with the puck that are too light, that come back to haunt us. We're paying for the errors that we make. We're not doing the things in the competitive areas that we need to do," Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock said.

It was the first home loss in four games at Nationwide Arena this year for Columbus, which will visit Washington on Sunday.

The Pens and Jackets split two meetings last year with each team winning a game on home ice. Pittsburgh has taken three out of five overall in the series, but has dropped its last three contests in Ohio.