The Blues intended to come out this game more disciplined than the last against the Blackhawks, and it didn’t quite work out that way. Fortunately, you can blame it partially on refs and make-up calls (Scott Nichol dished out a rare shoulder on shoulder trip), but the overall level of play this period left something to be desired.

The low-light was a Chad LaRose double minor for high sticking that turned into absolutely nothing at all for the Blues. Carolina killed off all four minutes of the penalty. It’s impressive that the power play lasted this long, as the Blues’ first one of the game, a Tuomo Ruutu tripping call was negated 50 seconds in by Chris Stewart.

St. Louis has 13 shots on goal to Carolina’s twelve, and the Canes have dinged the post twice. The blues might want to tighten up here a bit in the second.