Labatt Blue What We Learned: CBJ 7, PIT 1

"It's just one game." "There are 51 more." "Can't make too much of it."
Tell that to the 19,115 in the building tonight.
John Tortorella wouldn't take the bait earlier in the week, but even he relented after tonight's game that there was obviously a different vibe inside Nationwide Arena. The barn was jam-packed, the locals were revved up with first place on the line, and the Blue Jackets busted through a sluggish start and delivered.

They dropped seven goals on the defending Stanley Cup champions - four of those coming in a wild, rub-your-eyes-is-this-really-happening third period - and the home side pulled away for a 7-1 win (their 11th in a row) that moved them into the division's top spot, and for the time being, No. 1 position in the NHL.
Yes. You read that right.
Scott Hartnell led the way with a hat trick (his second as a Blue Jacket) and Columbus improved to 22-5-4 on the season; they'll close out the pre-Christmas schedule with a game against the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night on home ice.
"Quite honestly, I think it was a good process we went through. We were really nervous (at the start)," Tortorella said. "We talked about it between periods. We talked about how we've been playing in this league. That's where they took a big step mentally - they believed they could win."
Here's what we learned:
NO RELENT: The Penguins scored the game's opening goal when Sidney Crosby got behind the Blue Jackets defense and batted his own rebound out of midair only 2:39 into the game. But from that point, it was the Blue Jackets who took control; they were first to pucks, they made the Penguins come the length of the rink to create offense, and they capitalized on opportunities. Perhaps it was an off-night for Matt Murray, who's been so good in goal for the Penguins, but the Blue Jackets smelled blood and put the game out of reach in the third period. Goals from Hartnell, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner came 51 seconds apart to turn a 3-1 game into a 6-1 rout, and the Blue Jackets closed the door down the stretch.

"The one thing I did say to them between the first and second periods was: if we're going to down, we'd better do it aggressively," Tortorella said. "Not just watching. I didn't care how many mistakes we made, I wanted it done aggressively. I thought we got into that mindset, and things happened for us. The puck went in."
ATTA BOY, HARTSY: Hartnell has played quite well during this Blue Jackets' run and has solidified another line that can produce offense. It also doesn't hurt that he loves playing the Penguins. Tonight was one of his more effective games in recent memory, and the hat trick was just the icing on the cake. His first goal turned back the clock, an unassisted goal off the rush that Hartnell started and finished - tipping the puck out of the defensive zone, beating Penguins defenseman Derrick Pouliot back to the puck and out-racing him to the front of the net before sliding it past Murray for a 3-1 Columbus lead.
"It's been business from Day 1," Hartnell said. "We skated so hard (in training camp) that everyone was taking naps after every practice. We pick each other up when we're down, guys step up every night. It's just an exciting time."

METRO MADNESS: One of the reasons the Blue Jackets have been able to climb the ladder in the Metropolitan Division is pretty obvious - they've yet to lose a divisional game. Tonight's win moves them 5-0-0 against Metro opponents this season, and while it's still early, it's a good sign that the Blue Jackets are ready for their most important games. The divisional schedule always picks up after the new year, and you can expect to see the Rangers, Devils, Capitals, Penguins, Flyers, Hurricanes and Devils on the calendar with far more regularity.