Blues notch second tie of young season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mike Keane jammed a shot under goalie Tomas Vokoun's legs in the second period as the St. Louis Blues tied the Nashville Predators 2-2 Saturday night.

It was the second tie in as many games for the Blues, who opened the season Thursday night with a 3-3 tie with Columbus.

With less than a minute left in overtime, Nashville's Andy Delmore bounced a one-timer off the right post.

The Predators also had bad luck late in the third period when Mark Eaton appeared to score a power-play goal, but it was called back after the referees determined a whistle was blown before the play.

Instead, the Predators were called for a two-minute penalty for having too many men on the ice.

On Keane's tying goal, Vokoun was flat on his back as the puck bounced off his pads, his stick and the post before it was forced in by Keane.

Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk assisted on the goal, which came at 10:44 in the second. It followed a goal by the Predators' Scott Hartnell that had put Nashville ahead.

Hartnell, with the help of Greg Johnson, slapped in his own rebound, which had caromed off goalie Fred Brathwaite's glove.

St. Louis was 0-for-7 on power plays, while Nashville finished 1-for-9.

Vokoun helped the Predators hold on to the tie in the third period, when he deflected back-to-back shots. He made 25 saves.

Vokoun started in place of Mike Dunham, whose left collarbone was bruised by a puck in Friday's season-opening loss to Dallas.

The Predators, entering their fourth season, are hoping for a playoff berth this season.

Last season they totaled 80 points -- a 10-point improvement over 1999-00 -- but still found themselves 10th in the Western Conference, two spots away from a playoff berth.

Nashville got on the board first, when Delmore hit a one-timer from the left circle on a power play to put the Predators up 1-0. St. Louis tied it just over a minute later, with a score by Pavol Demitra off a pass from Tkachuk.

The teams matched up twice in the preseason, with St. Louis winning both, 5-2 and 2-0. The Blues hold a 10-5 lifetime advantage over Nashville.

NOTES: The Predators are 0-3-1-0 in season openers at home. ... The Blues have their home opener Thursday night against Los Angeles. ... Tkachuk and Nashville's Tom Fitzgerald are cousins. ... Nashville's Marian Cisar missed his second game with a hip injury, while teammate Pavel Skrbek missed his second because of a concussion.