One down, nine to go.

The Blues have to grab every point possible during the final 10 games of the season. So far, so good: The Note shook off a lethargic start and edged the Kings 2-0 Tuesday night at Scottrade Center.

Rookie center Patrik Berglund scored two third-period goals and goaltender Chris Mason was stellar, especially early on.

Elsewhere, though, the Ducks beat the Predators in a three-point game, prevailing 2-1 in the shootout; Columbus picked up an OTL point by losing in overtime to Tampa Bay and the Canucks continued their roll by wasting the Stars.

So there is still much work to do. The Blues have to win night after night and hope for the best.

Here are some thoughts on the game:

The Blues got pinned in by the first two Kings power plays, allowing LA to take target practice at Mason. That allowed the Kings to build an early 11-4 shots advantage. That the Kings didn’t score is amazing –part great work by Mason and part home-ice luck.

LA kept up the good work at even strength, so the Note was most fortunate to get off the ice with a 0-0 after one period.

The Blues picked up their play in the second period and began generating a bit of shift-to-shift momentum. But then the ice tilted against them again and the Kings started pinning them in again.

Which team had more to gain? You would have thought the Kings were the team in closer proximity to the No. 8 spot, not the Blues.

Andy McDonald used his speed to generate some excitement — and some scoring chances — in the third period. He created a flurry, which led to a Kings penalty, which created a power play, which led to more scoring chances . . . and, at last, a power-play goal punched into the open net by Berglund.

Finally, the Blues had a 1-0 lead.

On an ensuing Ducks power play, Mason made a huge glove save on Kings defenseman Jack Johnson to keep the Blues ahead.

And the Blues built off that with another goal by the kids line. Berglund struck, again, by backhanding a loose puck in the crease into the net. All three forwards crashed the net to force the puck loose. T.J. Oshie and David Perron got well-earned assists.

THAT was desperate hockey. Berglund had scored just one goal in his previous 22 games, but he stepped up when the Blues really, REALLY needed him to.

BTW: It’s been a while since Hockey Guy became agitated over officiating, but two guys named Chris Ciamaga and Dan O’Rourke mucked some calls Tuesday night.

Hockey Guy hates to see referees ignore players being dragged down in the offensive zone — well away from the puck — and then whistle a harmless neutral zone bump. That is Crappy Officiating 101.

Also, when a referee at the blue line calls a penalty that occurred in the far corner (right next to the referee making no call), then that is Crappy Officiating 102.

Then we watched Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick deliberately dislodge the net in order to thwart a Blues power play . . . and there was no call.