GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: CALGARY (10-13) at ST LOUIS (12-8)

By Tom James
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - The St. Louis Blues scored early in thefirst period, late in the second period, and got tremendousgoaltending from Manny Legace all night long.


It added up to their sixth win in seven games, and fifthstraight at home, a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Flames onSunday night.


Jamal Mayers scored twice and Brad Boyes added a goal for St.Louis and Manny Legace earned his 19th career shutout for St.Louis.


The Blues needed just 27 seconds to open the scoring. LeeStempniak had back-to-back shots, the first stopped by CurtisMcElhinney and the second off the right post, before defensemanJamal Mayers raced down the slot to backhand a drive behindover-committed Calgary goaltender.


Legace kept it even just over a minute later when he reachedback with his stick to stop Daymond Langkow's turnaroundbackhand for the first of his 24 saves on the night.

The St. Louis goaltender also gloved a Dion Phaneuf wrist shot,firmly ticketed for the high corner, with 9:20 left in thesecond.


Brad Boyes doubled the lead with a power-play tally near the endof the second when he redirected a centering pass, from DougWeight from the left faceoff circle, off the inside of the leftpost at 19:35.


It was the 25-year-old right wing's 13th goal of the season,tops on the club, and his 11th on home ice.


Mayers capped the scoring with an empty-net goal with 2:36 toplay.

 

NHL: CALGARY at ST LOUIS

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Calgary 0 0 0 --0
St Louis 1 1 1 --3
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, St Louis, Jamal Mayers 5 (Lee Stempniak,
Eric Brewer), 0:27. Penalties: D King, Stl (major fighting), 2:01; E
Godard, Cgy (major fighting), 2:01; M Smith, Cgy (major fighting),
2:04; D Hinote, Stl (major fighting), 2:04; D Phaneuf, Cgy
(interference), 10:11.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, St Louis, Brad Boyes 13 (power play) (Doug
Weight, Christian Backman), 19:35. Penalties: - Bench, Stl (too many
men served by D Perron), 0:55; L Stempniak, Stl (tripping), 14:58;
Bench, Cgy (too many men served by C Conroy), 18:09.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, St Louis, Jamal Mayers 6 (shorthanded)
(Ryan Johnson, Bryce Salvador), 17:24. Penalties: - Bench, Stl (too
many men served by B Boyes), 16:50.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Calgary 6 11 7 --24
St Louis 8 6 4 --18
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Calgary - 0 of 2, St Louis - 1 of 2. Goalies :
Calgary, Curtis McElhinney (17 shots, 15 saves; record: 0-2-0). St
Louis, Manny Legace (24 shots, 24 saves; record: 10-6-0). A: 15,138.
Referees: Mike Hasenfratz, Rob Martell. Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Scott
Driscoll.</div>

 

NHL: CALGARY at ST LOUIS

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
CALGARY 0 0 0 --0
ST LOUIS 1 1 1 --3
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, St Louis, Jamal Mayers 5 (Lee Stempniak,
Eric Brewer), 0:27. Penalties: D King, Stl (major fighting), 2:01; E
Godard, Cgy (major fighting), 2:01; M Smith, Cgy (major fighting),
2:04; D Hinote, Stl (major fighting), 2:04; D Phaneuf, Cgy
(interference), 10:11.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, St Louis, Brad Boyes 13 (power play) (Doug
Weight, Christian Backman), 19:35. Penalties: - Bench, Stl (too many
men served by D Perron), 0:55; L Stempniak, Stl (tripping), 14:58;
Bench, Cgy (too many men served by C Conroy), 18:09.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, St Louis, Jamal Mayers 6 (shorthanded)
(Ryan Johnson, Bryce Salvador), 17:24. Penalties: - Bench, Stl (too
many men served by B Boyes), 16:50.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
CALGARY 6 11 7 --24
ST LOUIS 8 6 4 --18
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: CGY - 0 of 2, STL - 1 of 2. Goalies : Calgary,
Curtis McElhinney (17 shots, 15 saves; record: 0-2-0). St Louis, Manny
Legace (24 shots, 24 saves; record: 10-6-0). A: 15,138. Referees:
Mike Hasenfratz, Rob Martell. Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Scott Driscoll.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

CALGARY ST LOUIS
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
J Iginla 0 0 -2 3 L Stempniak 0 1 +1 5
M Smith 0 0 even 1 D Hinote 0 0 even 0
E Godard 0 0 even 0 R Johnson 0 1 +1 0
M Lombardi 0 0 even 2 J McClement 0 0 +1 2
K Huselius 0 0 -1 4 D King 0 0 even 0
D Hale 0 0 even 1 J Mayers 2 0 +2 2
D Langkow 0 0 -1 3 B Boyes 1 0 even 4
E Nystrom 0 0 even 1 B Salvador 0 1 +2 0
C Conroy 0 0 -1 1 D Weight 0 1 even 0
D Moss 0 0 even 1 E Brewer 0 1 +2 2
Ro Regehr 0 0 -1 1 M Johnson 0 0 even 0
D Phaneuf 0 0 -1 1 B Jackman 0 0 even 0
A Aucoin 0 0 -1 1 C Backman 0 1 even 0
A Tanguay 0 0 -2 2 D Perron 0 0 even 1
D Boyd 0 0 even 1 E Johnson 0 0 even 0
C Sarich 0 0 -1 0 K Tkachuk 0 0 even 0
S Yelle 0 0 even 1 J McKee 0 0 even 0
A Eriksson 0 0 even 0 P Kariya 0 0 even 2
O Nolan HEALTHY M Rucinsky HEALTHY
R Warrener LEG INJURY M Walker HEALTHY
M Nilson CONCUSSION S Wagner HEALTHY</div>

 

By Tom James
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - The St. Louis Blues scored early in thefirst period, late in the second period, and got tremendousgoaltending from Manny Legace all night long.


It added up to their sixth win in seven games, and fifthstraight at home, a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Flames onSunday night.


Jamal Mayers scored twice, Brad Boyes added a goal and MannyLegace earned his 19th career shutout for St. Louis.

The Blues needed just 27 seconds to take the lead. LeeStempniak had back-to-back shots, the first stopped by CurtisMcElhinney and the second off the right post, before Mayersraced down the slot to backhand a drive behind over-committedCalgary goaltender.


Legace kept it even just over a minute later when he reachedback with his stick to stop Daymond Langkow's turnaroundbackhand for the first of his 24 saves on the night.

"I popped out of the corner, and saw nothing but net out of thecorner of my eye," Langkow said. "That was an amazing save andhe was solid all night."


"The guys keep playing great in front of me", Legace said. "Theyblock shots, lay down and intercept passes, and everybody isplaying well.


"It's tough to go 60 minutes every game. There are nights whenyou have an off night. Then, you have to get back at it."

The St. Louis goaltender also gloved a Dion Phaneuf wrist shot,firmly ticketed for the high corner, with 9:20 left in thesecond.


Brad Boyes doubled the lead with a power-play tally near the endof the second when he redirected a centering pass, from DougWeight from the left faceoff circle, off the inside of the leftpost at 19:35.


"The defense was stretched out a bit," Weight said. Theythought I was going to Paul (Kariya), but Boyes has that longstick reach, and got a great touch.


"We are getting confident that, when we get the lead at home,we're not letting teams back in it. If you don't make teamspay, it is going to bite you."


For Boyes, a 25-year-old right wing, it was his 13th goal of theseason, tops on the club, and his 11th on home ice.

"After that game the other night (3-0 loss Wednesday inDetroit), and especially at home, we needed to get going again,"Boyes said. "Plus, we had to do produce on the power play."

Calgary coach Mike Keenan opted to pull McElhinney with 3:40 toplay after a the Blues incurred their second bench minor of thegame for too many men on the ice.


The Flames failed to muster anything on the 6-on-4 situationdespite nearly a full minute of solid puck movement and RyanJohnson worked the puck toward the right-wing boards in theCalgary zone.


Mayers won a battle with Alex Tanguay and knocked the puck intothe vacated net for the Blues' first shorthanded goal of theseason at 17:24.


Mayers, a 33-year-old defenseman, collected his fifth careertwo-goal game, and second this season.


"We're all getting involved and that's what has to happen ifwe're going to win," Mayers said.


Keenan was in no mood to contain his frustration.


"We had a power-play opportunity to tie the game in which wedidn't get anything done," Keenan said. "They get a power-playopportunity, on a marginal too many men on the ice call, butthey scored a goal, and that made the difference."

The Blues' finish, including a 34th consecutive killed penaltyover their last seven-plus home games, impressed the man behindthe bench.


"The fact that you finish strong is a sign of respect to youropponent and we knew we would have to play to the last minute,"<div class="pre">St. Louis coach Andy Murray said "It was a physical,</div>warrior-like game."

 

NHL: CALGARY at ST LOUIS

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
CALGARY 0
ST LOUIS 3</div>