Blues score 3 power-play goals to beat Wild

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Andy McDonald scored two power-play goals and Patrik Berglund also connected with the man advantage in the St. Louis Blues' 4-1 exhibition victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

Alexander Steen also scored for St. Louis (3-1-1).

Eric Belanger scored for Minnesota (2-3-0), which was playing without four forwards from its projected regular-season lineup.

Steen, Berglund and McDonald scored in the first period to give St. Louis a 3-0 lead. St. Louis, which had just one power-play goal in its first four exhibition games, was 3 for 4 with the man advantage.

McDonald scored his second power-play goal midway through the second period, banking a shot off the skate of Minnesota's Jamie Sifers past Niklas Backstrom, who had little chance on any of the St. Louis goals.

Belanger scored on the power play with 2:45 remaining.

Minnesota was 1 for 6 on the power play.

Chris Mason stopped nine shots and Ty Conklin five for St. Louis, which plays Saturday in Dallas and then heads to Sweden for its final exhibition game Tuesday, followed by a season-opening two games with Detroit on Oct. 2 and 3 in Stockholm.

Minnesota played without Andrew Brunette and Mikko Koivu, who are battling leg injuries and have yet to play in an exhibition game, although each skated with the team Thursday. Also missing were Pierre-Marc Bouchard (illness) and Petr Sykora (ankle).