PITTSBURGH -- When the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets open their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena, both clubs know what to expect.
The teams, a few hours' drive apart, have developed a rivalry the past handful of seasons and, as fellow members of the Metropolitan Division, have faced each other plenty.
"There's some mojo against them in this (locker) room," Blue Jackets winger and longtime Pittsburgh nemesis Scott Hartnell said Tuesday.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins rely on speed and skill. Columbus has some of those qualities, but it also has physical play sewn into its identity.