Thrashers, Kovalchuk beat Blues 4-2
Posted Oct 09, 2009 12:10 AM
By R.B. FALLSTROM
(AP)
ST. LOUIS -Ilya Kovalchuk made it a pair of two-goal games to open the season, scoring the go-ahead tally in the first period and adding an empty-netter as the Atlanta Thrashers spoiled the St. Louis Blues' home opener with a 4-2 victory on Thursday night.
Keith Tkachuk had a goal and an assist and topped 400 points with the Blues, perhaps suffering from jet lag after a pair of come-from-behind victories over the Red Wings in Sweden last weekend. St. Louis, which unveiled a statue honoring Hall of Fame defenseman Al MacInnis before the game, hasn't had a 3-0 start since 1993-94.
Atlanta has opened with a pair of strong efforts, also beating the Lightning 6-3 at home on Saturday. The Thrashers prevailed despite getting outshot 31-22.
Roman Polak scored on a slap shot from the point with 2:44 to go, cutting the Thrashers' lead to a goal. But the Blues had no chances after pulling goalie Chris Mason with 1:10 to go. Kovalchuk's fourth goal of the season ended the comeback bid.
The Thrashers scored on two of their first three shots, wiping out Tkachuk's goal from the slot just past the 5-minute mark on a 2-on-1 break. Eric Boulton scored his first goal off Chris Thorburn's feed from behind the net less than 3 minutes later, and Kovalchuk netted the go-ahead score after a nifty move in the slot on a power play at 8:51.
Rookie Evander Kane, the fourth overall pick of this year's NHL draft, made it a two-goal cushion. He scored his first goal of the season in the second period for Atlanta, which had been 1-3 in four previous games in St. Louis.
The Blues had won their three previous home openers and have their strongest team in several seasons after ending a 5-year playoff drought last season.
NOTES: The Blues were 0 for 3 on the power play after going 4 for 9 the first two games. ... The 18-year-old Kane has points in both games, earning an assist in the opener.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2009-10-09 00:41:24
