The St. Louis Blues are still trailing 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings after two periods on Sunday afternoon, leaving them just 20 minutes of play away from being eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Blues are down 3-0 in the seven-game series to the Kings and can't afford another loss, but they're losing at home in Game 4 with just one period remaining.
After a first period that saw three different scores, neither team was able to notch a goal in the second period. After the Kings had a 10-4 advantage on shots in the first period, the Blues responded in the second period with a huge 13-3 differential in shots on goal, but they couldn't find that game-tying score.
Now, the Blues are looking at a one-goal deficit with just 20 minutes remaining on their season. After posting the second-best record in the Western Conference during the regular season, being swept by the No. 8 seed would have to be considered a major disappointment. Right now, things may be going in that direction.
For more on the Kings, head to Jewels From The Crown and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Blues, visit St. Louis Game Time and SB Nation St. Louis. For complete coverage of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, stick with SB Nation's NHL hub.