Blues mark Oshie's return with 2-1 win against Kings

ST. LOUIS -- Erik Johnson scored the go-ahead goal on a third-period shot that slowly trickled between goalie Jonathan Quick's pads in the St. Louis Blues' 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.

Patrik Berglund snapped a 3-for-38 power play drought in the first period for the Blues, who ended a three-game home losing streak and a 1-6-1 slump overall. The Blues leapfrogged a point ahead of Los Angeles in the Western Conference standings. Jaroslav Halak raised his career mark against Los Angeles to 7-1, making 26 saves.

Matt Greene ended a 10-game point drought with his first goal of the season for the Kings, who are in a 2-9 slump. Quick made his first start in three games and made 24 saves, but he couldn't control Johnson's innocent looking point shot wth 6 minutes, 47 seconds to go.

Johnson has scored in two straight games and has a point in the last four after getting his fifth goal of the season.

Blues forward T.J. Oshie returned after a 31-game absence from a fractured left ankle and got a loud ovation after he was announced as one of the starters. The Blues were 9-1-2 before Oshie, a first-round pick in 2005, was injured, and Oshie was named the No. 1 star after a solid game.

The Blues remain without forwards David Perron and Andy McDonald, both out with concussions.

Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo was struck in the face by a puck for the second time in four games, felled by Drew Doughty's shot on a rush during the second period. Colaicovo headed straight for the dressing room and did not return to the game.

Berglund's ninth goal, and first in 11 games, capitalized on a 5-on-3 advantage. Greene tied it at 16:21 of the second with his first goal of the season on a shot from the point that made it through traffic.

NOTES: St. Louis has sold out all 24 home games. ... Blues D Roman Polak had only 14 penalty minutes in 20 games before fighting the Kings' Kyle Clifford in the first period. ... The Kings have been outscored 39-28 during their slump. ... The Kings are 0-5-1 against the Blues since December 5, 2009.