Backes, Conklin lead Blues past Canucks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- David Backes scored twice, and Ty Conklin made 29 saves to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 Sunday night.

Backes opened the scoring on an early power-play deflection and put the Blues back ahead 2-1 with a great individual effort with 8:12 left in the second period. He raced around defenseman Kevin Bieksa off the left wing, cut hard to the net and tucked the puck past goalie Roberto Luongo on the far side.

Keith Tkachuk doubled the lead 1:27 later and the Blues won for the second time in five games to move out of last place in the Western Conference.

Shane O'Brien scored his first goal in more than two seasons as Vancouver lost for just the second time in six games on a season-high eight-game homestand.

Luongo made 23 saves for the Canucks, coming off a big win over Washington on Friday and looking to move into a playoff position in the Western Conference for the first time all season. Instead they fell behind early.

The Blues' 30th-ranked power play converted its first opportunity 2:59 into the game, with Backes tipping Paul Kariya's high shot off the rush past Luongo.

Conklin made a handful of great saves in the first period, robbing Tanner Glass, Ryan Kesler and Mikeal Samuelsson from close range, and making a sliding stop on Kevin Bieksa. O'Brien finally beat him with 2:45 left in the period after a give-and-go play with Samuelsson sent him in alone in tight. O'Brien s quick shot through Conklin's legs trickled over the goal line for his first goal in 165 games.

After Backes put the Blues ahead again, Tkachuk extended the lead after a lucky bounce. Barret Jackman's dump-in took a funny hop off the end boards and went right in front to Brad Boyes, who fed Tkachuk for a backdoor tap-in.

Alex Burrows appeared to pull the Canucks within a goal 5 minutes into the third period, but it was waved off because he redirected Henrik Sedin's pass with his back skate, a call that was upheld after a lengthy video review.

NOTES: Sedin's points streak was snapped at nine games and 16 points. Canucks players stayed on the ice after the game to give away their jerseys as part of fan appreciation night. ... O'Brien's goal also was his first in a season and a half and 102 games with the Canucks. ... Vancouver swept the Blues in the first round of the playoffs last season, but has lost the first two meetings this season. The Blues beat the Canucks 6-1 in St. Louis on Nov. 10.