Blues surge to keep Oilers in a slump

ST. LOUIS -- Dallas Drake snapped a third-period tie and Pavol Demitra had three assists as the Blues beat the slumping Edmonton Oilers 4-1 on Thursday night.

The Blues won without their leading goal scorer, Keith Tkachuk, who served the first of a four-game suspension for cross-checking Wes Walz of the Wild in the throat, and with rookie Curtis Sanford in goal. Two late goals allowed the Blues to end an offensive drought during which they totaled four goals in the previous three games and went 0-2-0-1.

Steve Staios scored for the Oilers, clinging to the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference. They're 0-6-1-1 in their last eight games.

Cory Stillman, elevated to the first line by Tkachuk's suspension, had two assists for the Blues. They're 20-9-4-3 when giving up the game's first goal, best in the NHL, and remained two points behind Central Division-leading Detroit.

Drake got his 16th goal of the season on a rush midway in the third period, beating Jussi Markkanen with a high shot from above the left circle. Markkanen played in place of Tommy Salo, out with a groin injury.

Sanford was recalled from Worcester of the AHL on Tuesday because both of the Blues' goalies, Brent Johnson and Fred Brathwaite, have been struggling. Plus, Johnson hurt his groin in practice on Monday and was placed on the injured list.

Sanford made 21 saves and got several ovations, particularly after stopping four shots on an Oilers power play in the second period. He also stopped Mike Comrie on a break-in in the third.

The Oilers scored on their second shot to take the lead. Staios scored his fifth goal and second in three games from the right circle on a power play at 3:29.

Papineau's first career goal tied it in the second. Papineau, recalled Wednesday from Worcester, scored on the rebound of a shot by Stillman.

Eric Boguinecki made it a two-goal cushion with 1:34 remaining, redirecting a shot by Demitra, and Steve Martins added an empty-net goal with 49.8 seconds left. Notes: The Oilers said Salo, who had a groin strain at Colorado on Tuesday, is day to day. ... Blues C Doug Weight, out since Feb. 11 with a broken bone in his face, will have the injury evaluated on Friday. ... Staios has two goals and three assists in the last five games. ... The Blues have outscored the opposition 81-50 in the third period.