Blues, Thrashers tie 1-1

ATLANTA -- Jeff Cowan scored with 2:24 left in regulation and the Atlanta Thrashers, bolstered by the return of Dany Heatley, managed a 1-1 tie with the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Heatley was playing for the first time since a Sept. 29 car wreck killed teammate Dan Snyder.

Heatley, who was driving, needed knee surgery after the wreck and was expected to be out most of the season. But he made a remarkably quick recovery, returning one day shy of four months since the crash.

"Welcome Back Dany," read a giant banner placed behind one of the goals.

The Blues broke a scoreless tie at 5:17 of the third period when Scott Mellanby scored his 11th goal. He fanned on a pass across the crease from Doug Weight, but the puck caught Mellanby's right skate and went in.

Despite protests from Thrashers goalie Pasi Nurminen, the referee immediately ruled that Mellanby didn't intentionally try to kick the puck in the net.

The Thrashers earned a point when Cowan managed to knock in the puck during a scrum in front of the St. Louis net. Blues 1, Thrashers 1

St. Louis 0 0 1 0 -- 1

Atlanta 0 0 1 0 -- 1

First Period--None. Penalties--Nickulas, StL (hooking), 11:23; Mellanby, StL (hooking), 15:36; McEachern, Atl (holding stick), 19:23.

Second Period--None. Penalties--Petrovicky, Atl, minor-major (roughing, fighting), 3:32; Drake, StL, major (fighting), 3:32; Rycroft, StL (interference), 8:17; Grand-Pierre, Atl (interference), 11:12; Baron, StL (slashing), 14:19.

Third Period--1, St. Louis, Mellanby 11 (Weight, Tkachuk), 5:17. 2, Atlanta, Cowan 8 (Aubin, Tremblay), 17:36. Penalties--Aubin, Atl, double minor (high-sticking), 11:26; Pollock, StL (slashing), 15:00.

Overtime--None. Penalties--None.

Shots on goal--St. Louis 9-10-5-7--31. Atlanta 6-3-10-4--23.

Power-play Opportunities--St. Louis 0 of 5; Atlanta 0 of 5.

Goalies--St. Louis, Divis 3-0-1 (23 shots-22 saves). Atlanta, Nurminen 17-16-5 (31-30).

A--16,271 (18,532). T--2:28.

Referees--Chris Lee, Rob Martell. Linesmen--Brad Kovachik, Ray Scapinello.

Heatley started the game and got extensive playing time. He fit right in, managing some of Atlanta's best scoring chances. But three of his shots were turned away by Blues goalie Reinhard Divis, and another good opportunity slipped away when Heatley shot over the net.

Like the rest of the team, Heatley took the ice wearing a patch with Snyder's number, 37, just above his heart.