Sidney Crosby, right, checks Columbus' Fedor Tyutin in the second period Friday at Mellon Arena. The Penguins recorded a 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets.

PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin scoring, that's expected. Sidney Crosby scoring, that's expected.

Kris Letang enjoying multiple-goal games 10 days apart? That's not expected at all.

Letang scored twice on goals set up by Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins won successive games for only the second time in 2Z\x months, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 in a Friday night matchup of teams trying to climb back into their conference playoff races.

Crosby also scored into an empty net in the final minute as the Penguins, who had lost three of four, used a three-goal second period to move within one point of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They followed up on their 4-3 win over Tampa Bay Wednesday night in which they trailed 3-0 in the third period.

"We were trying to build on the last game, we had a great comeback and it was really good for the whole team," Letang said. "I think our problem before was we really didn't work together, one night only one line showed up and the next night another line showed up. It was a problem."

Since winning six in a row in mid-November, the Penguins had won consecutive games only once, on Jan. 16 (Ducks) and Jan. 18 (Rangers).

"We were not playing together," Letang said of the Penguins' inconsistency. "Our team is young, we know we're good and we have talent ... but you have to put your work boots on and go to work."

Pittsburgh and Carolina have 57 points each, or one point behind eighth-place Florida. The Penguins play the Red Wings Sunday in Detroit's first visit to Pittsburgh since winning the Stanley Cup there in June.

"It's a playoff mentality right now, we have to move on to the next one," Crosby said.

Columbus, two points out of the No. 8 spot in the Western, played for the first time in 20 games without rookie goalie Steve Mason and lost its third in a row and fifth in seven games.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves but was denied his third shutout of the season when Fedor Tyutin scored on a power play midway through the third.

NHL scoring leader Malkin scored twice and had an assist in leading that Wednesday night comeback, but it was Letang who provided the offense against Columbus.

"He made two nice shots there and was handling the puck well," Crosby said. "He's smart jumping into the play, when he trusts his instincts, and goes in when it's necessary. He creates a lot."

Notes: Malkin, limited to one assist, leads the league with 80 points. Crosby is second with 72.