Blues return home, top Kings in overtime

ST. LOUIS -- Alexander Khavanov scored the game-winning goal and then gave the credit to Petr Cajanek.

Khavanov, a defenseman, recorded his second winner of the season when he scored at 1:02 of overtime to give the Blues a 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Kings.

Khavanov beat Kings goalie Felix Potvin from about 20 feet after getting a pass from rookie Cajanek.

"I saw an empty spot and I just moved into it," Khavanov said. "I was there all along and then it was 'Nice goal, congratulations.' I don't know why. There was nobody in front. But it was because of Petr.

"Pete made the great pass. I was just planted there. I one-timed it and luckily it went in."

Potvin said there was nothing he could do.

"I tried to get back in time, but he put it in," Potvin said.

Doug Weight had scored for St. Louis with 39 seconds left in regulation to tie it.

"It was a great period as far as being a desperate hockey team," Weight said. "We knew we weren't going to lose that game."

Al MacInnis' slap shot deflected to Weight, who was all alone at the right side of the goal. Weight one-timed a shot into the net.

Potvin said he lost track of the puck after MacInnis hit it into traffic.

"I couldn't see it," Potvin said. "Anytime you give up a goal in the last minute, you feel disappointed."

The Blues know what it's like to lose in the waning seconds. On Wednesday night in Columbus, Ohio, the Blue Jackets scored the winning goal with 48 seconds left to earn a 3-2 victory.

"It was the opposite feeling of last night's game," Blues coach Joel Quenneville said. "It was ecstasy that we scored tonight and won and frustration last night when we lost. It was a good turn of events for our guys. We battled them with everything we had out there and we got rewarded."

Jaroslav Modry's goal at 15:45 had given the Kings a 2-1 lead. Modry knocked in a loose puck from the crease.

Erik Rasmussen took a shot, but Blues goalie Fred Brathwaite blocked it. The puck squirted loose in the crease and Modry swatted it in. It was just the Kings' third shot of the period.

In overtime, St. Louis took the only shot. The Blues held a 37-12 overall advantage in shots.

St. Louis tied it at 1 at 4:12 of the third period. Eric Boguniecki put back in the rebound of a shot by Scott Mellanby that Potvin couldn't corral. It was Boguniecki's 10th goal this season.

In the first eight minutes of the third period, the Blues outshot Los Angeles 13-2. St. Louis ended the period with a 23-3 advantage.

"We needed more time of possession but you have to give the Blues credit," Los Angeles coach Andy Murray said. "They were really good in the third period."

Brad Norton scored the first goal of his career at 8:17 of the first period. Derek Armstrong fed Norton, who was on top of the right circle. Norton snapped a wrist shot that beat Brathwaite.

The Blues had three power plays in the second period but failed to score. St. Louis had nine shots in the period while the Kings had only four. The Blues entered the game ranked fifth in the NHL on the power play.

Notes: The Kings again were without LW Adam Deadmarsh, who missed his fourth game because of concussion. ... D Lubomir Visnowsky returned to action for Los Angeles after sitting out Tuesday's game against Minnesota. ... Blues C Pavol Demitra needs two goals (145) to pass Doug Gilmour for 10th on the Blues career list.