By Eric Smith
FOXSportsOhio.com
The raucous crowd of 19,143 in Nationwide Arena were both joyous and distraught at the same time as the fans were split on their allegiance to each team.
The Penguin faithful that made their trip from the east were treated to a dominant display as they beat down the Blue Jackets to the tune of 7-2. The Blue Jacket fans, on the other hand, had to endure not only the team's performance on the ice but also the ecstatic Pittsburgh fans who weren't afraid to let them know who they were rooting for.
The Blue Jackets came out with energy against the Penguins but after Steve Mason gave up three soft goals -- four altogether in the first period -- Columbus could only muster two shots on goal at the end of the first period. The rout was on. The score was just a formality as the game was long over before the final horn.
"We fell apart after all three of those ugly goals that went in (in the first period)," stated head coach Scott Arniel. "We started the game how we wanted to start the game. The first goal off of a bad bounce in and the next two were awful goals and it took the wind out of our sails."
As down trodden as the Blue Jacket players were after the game, they were looking for the "glass half full" scenario and trying to stay positive.
"There is nowhere really to go but up," Mike Commodore said. "We got off to a rough start. We will practice tomorrow, I imagine, and the good thing is we have a bunch of games coming up so we will have to get ready for Dallas on Monday."
R.J. Umberger also knows that a few wins will put a defeat like this in the rear-view mirror.
"We need to stick together," Umberger said. "We are going to get through this. We didn't think it was going to be easy, we knew there were going to be tough times. We are going to push through it, we are going to stick together as a team and get through it. It's not an easy league. You don't just walk through and win every game."
With that said, the whispers of a repeat of last year's performance are starting to be heard louder and louder. After the Blue Jackets got off to what, at the time, was a franchise best 12-6-2 record, Columbus went on to lose 21 of the next 24. The Blue Jackets are doing their best to block it from their minds.
"Honestly, I don't want to think ... the only time I think about last season is when you guys (the press) bring it up," Commodore said. "I don't care what happened last season. The focus is to not let that happen again, but I'm not thinking about it. Honestly, I don't give a [crap]. Last season is last season. This is a new season."
Tom Reed from the Dispatch had a great line off of his Twitter account during the game. "CBJ general manager Scott Howson probably working the phones like a telemarketer. After 2 periods: #Pens 7, CBJ 1."
Now the question is if Howson is dialing for dollars right now. Is the five game losing streak and the last two lopsided loses enough for him to start pulling the trigger? Only time will tell but if the team keeps playing like they have the last two nights, time will run out sooner rather than later.
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