PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma wants his high-powered team to get used to playing tight-checking playoff hockey before the post-season begins next month. St. Louis doesnt need the lure of the playoffs as an excuse to get stingy. The space-eating Blues have been doing it all year, and it showed in a taut 1-0 road win on Sunday. Frustrating the NHLs best power play during a pivotal two-man disadvantage at the start of the second period, the Blues continued their mastery of the Eastern Conference by beating the Penguins the way theyve beaten so many teams this season. The room to manoeuvr that Pittsburgh stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin usually enjoy disappeared as St. Louis clogged passing lanes and dictated play defensively. David Backes deflected a slap shot by Alexander Steen past Marc-Andre Fleury midway through the third period for the games only goal and Brian Elliott stopped 33 shots to pick up his fourth shutout of the season as the Blues moved three points clear of Chicago in the race for the best record in the Western Conference. "When youre in a tight game like that against a good team, the guys kind of rose up to the challenge and I tried to make a couple saves and get the rebounds out of the zone and they did the rest," Elliott said. Fleury made 26 saves for the Penguins but watched Backes deflection carom off his glove and into the net just after a penalty against Malkin expired. "I just saw the guy raise his stick for the shot," Fleury said. "There were a bunch of people in front. I tried to cover some net but I didnt see it go in. St. Louis bounced back from a one-sided loss at Philadelphia on Saturday to improve the leagues best road record to 23-11-3. Pittsburghs top-ranked power play went 0-for-5 a day after scoring three times in a win over Tampa Bay. When Elliott wasnt getting a pad on the puck, his teammates were. The Blues blocked 25 shots, with the Penguins frustration growing at every turn as the Blues improved to 20-5-2 against the Eastern Conference, the best interconference record in the league. Pittsburgh had a 5-on-3 power play at the beginning of the second period for more than 90 seconds without being able to sneak something by Elliott. Most of the time the Penguins struggled generating a shot as the Blues effectively disrupted Pittsburghs rhythm. "We just kind of cleared lanes and I was able to see the ones they took," Elliott said. "Whenever guys are moving big guys out of the way, it just helps and you saw guys get in front of shots, block them and clear them down." Malkin was called for high-sticking 9:17 into the third and he was barely out of the box and back on the ice when Backes gave St. Louis the lead. The puck cycled to the point and Alexander Steen fired a slap shot that Backes found a way to nick as it sailed by. His 24th goal of the year proved more than enough. Elliott wobbled several times — including at least two saves where it appeared the puck was creeping to the goal line when the whistle blew — but didnt collapse. When the clock expired after one last clear up the zone, the game ended with the unusual sight of Malkin trying to mix it up with Alex Pietrangelo. Bylsma said coming into an important weekend he wanted his team to get used to playing tightly contested, low-scoring games. Pittsburgh survived one on Saturday, rallying for a 4-3 overtime win against the streaking Lightning that featured 40 minutes of clamp-down hockey and 22 minutes of frantic play. The Blues, who have positioned themselves into contenders in the West by sealing off the net, would not be lulled into the kind of end-to-end stretches that allow the Penguins to run free. "We still want to do a better job in these games and win them," Crosby said. "We have done a pretty good job of being patient when weve been in these kinds of games." At times, Bylsma wonders if his club was too patient, particularly in the first period. "The first 20 minutes we backed them off with speed," he said. "We had some opportunities and needed to have more of a drive and shoot mentality." NOTES: The Penguins played with seven defencemen instead of six, a move Bylsma said was needed in a game where he knew open ice would be at a premium. ... St. Louis plays in Toronto on Tuesday while the Penguins host Phoenix on Tuesday. Hirving Lozano Mexico Jersey . Summers has seen scant playing time with the Coyotes since being selected 29th overall by the club in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, having played in 47 career NHL games. Marco Fabian Mexico Jersey . The team let Keaton Ellerby, James Wright and Matt Halischuk become unrestricted free agents after declining to make them qualifying offers. Ellerby, 25, appeared in 51 games for the Jets last season and had two goals and four assists. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/andres-guardado-mexico-jersey/ . And all things considered, the first 40 games have offered a little bit of everything from a hockey club that faced many questions in its first year under new management, with a new head coach and with a number of new faces in the lineup. However, with a recent dip in scoring, it seems some of the same old questions persist and several new ones have been raised after a somewhat troubling homestand. Rafael Marquez Jersey .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. Hugo Ayala Mexico Jersey . - Kobe Bryant and LeBron James traded hugs, big shots and verbal jabs all night with warmth and humour.Even sat in the away dressing room, Manchester Uniteds players would not have been able to escape the sounds of West Hams celebrations. There, in the depths of the soon-to-be demolished Boleyn Ground, the visiting players were left to contemplate how they had let Champions League qualification slip from their grasp, as fireworks crackled outside. With 14 minutes to play, Anthony Martial had given Manchester United a 2-1 lead. Victory would have moved Louis van Gaals side back into the top four for the first time since mid-December. They would only have needed to match Manchester Citys result at Swansea in their season finale at home to Bournemouth - a team who have only managed to beat rock-bottom Aston Villa in their past seven matches. Yet, two expert deliveries from Dimitri Payet - combined with two clinically accurate headers from Michail Antonio and Winston Reid - turned the game on its head, and left Manchester United needing a favour from Francesco Guidolins Swansea on Sunday. Louis van Gaal still feels that it is possible for Manchester United to qualify for the Champions League Afterwards, Van Gaal conceded to Sky Sports the defeat was a mental blow to his players. As much as he argued Swanseas case and pointed out Champions League qualification was still possible, the Dutchman could not hide the opportunity missed.After a season of supporter unrest at his style, Van Gaal has often fallen back on key results, such as wins at rivals Manchester City and Liverpool. Now, he and his side are on course to miss their major target of the campaign. Man City will be hungry.dddddddddddd. You dont give Sergio Aguero and his like another chance because they will lap it up. Jamie Redknapp I dont see it happening, said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, when asked whether Swansea could shock Manuel Pellegrinis men and do United a favour. City will be hungry. You dont give the likes of Sergio Aguero another chance because they will lap it up.City have taken just five points from their last 12 available and their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday had provided Manchester United with a way back into the top four.Of course, seizing that opening was no easy task against a West Ham team and home support fired up by the occasion. A barrage of bottles as the Manchester United team bus made its way to the Boleyn signalled the visitors would not be in for an easy ride and, from the first whistle, West Ham had the top-four challengers pegged back. Anthony Martial had put the visitors 2-1 up in the second half Diafra Sakho struck after just 10 minutes and, after Antonios equaliser cancelled out Anthony Martials double, the hosts seemed to ride a wave of support to an historic victory. Manchester Uniteds problem was failing to match West Hams intensity.West Ham won every second ball. They wanted it more, said Redknapp. Van Gaal said this was a special place for West Ham tonight, but surely it was special for Man United today, too? They had an opportunity to get into the top four. They were just out-fought in every department.Manchester United must pick up the fight on Sunday and hope their neighbours City, who needed a late, late winner to see off Swansea at the Etihad in December, slip-up. There is no more they can do. Wayne Rooney and Manchester United will be hoping Manchester City slip up There has been debate as to whether a top-four finish and an FA Cup win could be seen as a positive season for Van Gaals United. With the first part of that double now in doubt, it heaps even more onus on the clubs Wembley date with Crystal Palace.Big results at big moments have boosted Van Gaal at key points of this season. Now he needs some very big results to go his way. Also See: Hammers Boleyn farewell Hammers win Boleyn thriller ' ' '