Hockey is played in three periods but sometimes they breakdown better into halves. There's no actual break or any real difference at the ten minute mark of the second period. Yet, the run of play can split apart at around that moment and that's what happened tonight. The New Jersey Devils played pretty well in the first thirty minutes against the St. Louis Blues. The score was tied early in the second, they were ahead on attempts, and about even in shots. Not bad. Then came the second thirty minutes. It featured four straight minor penalites (the last was mostly erased after the Blues took a call), a go-ahead power play goal, an insurance goal early in the third period, a whole lot of shotless hockey by New Jersey until the 8:32 mark of the third, an out-and-out melee, a major penalty against New Jersey, and an empty net goal.
Good First, Sad Second: New Jersey Devils Dropped by St. Louis Blues, 2-5
