St. Louis Blues take advantage of power play, edge Detroit Red Wings 3-2 -NHL Update
After missing out on multiple power play opportunities, Detroit and St. Louis took advantage of the added man chances but it was the Blues that got the game-winning goal during the final 20 minutes to edge the Red Wings, 3-2, at the sold-out Scottrade Center
in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States.
Johan Franzen capitalised and got the first power play goal of the night when St. Louis’, David Backes, was booked at the 6:38 mark for roughing and awarded a minor penalty.
Alexander Steen followed up by leveling the contest nearly two minutes later for his ninth of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season to end the period with both clubs tied, 1-1.
"For our power play to score two, which has been a little anemic and kind of a crutch for us," said St. Louis captain, David Backes. "To have it be a strong suit, to win that specialty teams battle and to get two points after a couple tough games, it's
good to see the resiliency and the character in here to play a good 60-minute game and make sure we got our two points."
Backes got in the double digits with his 10th of the season and second of the night while taking advantage of another power play in the opening 45 seconds as Niklas Kronwall was sent packing for delaying the game with the puck over the glass.
He was followed by Patrik Berglund in the next two minutes who made the game-winning shot with the tie-breaker, but as Jiri Hudler brought Detroit within one of the goal at the 18:40 mark on another power play, the situation looked bad for the Blues, but
as the Red Wings failed to equalize the match, St. Louis took the two points.
"Enough's enough," Backes said. "Hopefully, this is a springboard toward teams not being able to take those liberties because they know they can kill our power play."
St. Louis is hoping to continue taking advantage of their power play killing abilities as they host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday while the Red Wings play against the Phoenix Coyotes at home on the same day.
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