The Blues’re keeping up the intensity this period and cutting back on the iffy penalties. Unfortunately, it’s hard to keep up with Evgeny Malkin and James Neal when they have a mind for the goal. Just 3:26 into the second period, Neal fired this blast past Brian Elliott, who I don’t think even saw the puck:

That was Neal’s 27th goal of the year. He’s on pace to score well over 40 this season. His previous career high in goals? Twenty-seven.

The period turned a bit more sour for the Blues with Steve Sullivan popping in a shot from mid-air past Elliott. It looked like it deflected off of Carlo Colaiacovo, and Sullivan, formerly of the Nashville Predators, exhibited perfect hand-eye coordination:

Thankfully all was not lost for the Blues, with Patrik Berglund getting a beautiful opportunity on a turn-over and, in what the rest of the team seems incapable of doing tonight, buried the puck on a nice backhand/forehand move past Marc-Andre Fleury. It was just Berglund’s 11th goal of the season.

One more period left to get at least a point out of the Penguins. Converting on some wide-open chances would be a nice start.