Kings score in final minute to spoil Blues' home opener

ST. LOUIS -- Steve Heinze stayed patient and made good on his second opportunity to win the game for the Los Angeles Kings.

Heinze scored two goals, including the game-winner with 37 seconds remaining, to lead the Kings to a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.

"I should've scored on the first shot, but fortunately the rebound was right there and I scored," Heinze said.

Heinze banged in a rebound of his own shot over a sprawled Brent Johnson to give the Kings their fourth goal of the third period. Heinze shot and Johnson made the save. The puck went outside the crease and Heinze chipped it over Johnson's stick for the victory.

"We gave up the puck way, way too much," St. Louis coach Joel Quenneville said. "We couldn't even make a 5-foot pass."

Blues captain Chris Pronger agreed.

"If we were in synch, this wouldn't be happening," Pronger said.

Ziggy Palffy, Glen Murray, Adam Deadmarsh and Kelly Buchberger also scored for Los Angeles, which won for the first time in four games this season.

Los Angeles goalie Felix Potvin stopped 21 shots, including eight of nine in the third period.

"I'm not happy letting in five goals, but it was good for us to get a win," Potvin said. "It was a great way for us to get our first win."

Scott Young scored two goals and added an assist for St. Louis, which lost in its first game at Savvis Center after tying two road games to begin the season. The Blues had won six out of their last nine home openers, and dropped to 2-1 lifetime against Los Angeles in home openers.

"Whenever we get points against the Blues, we're real happy," Murray said. "We believe we're one of the few teams to win in this building."

Alexander Khavanov gave the Blues a 5-4 lead at 9:11 of the third, but Murray scored a power-play goal at 11:30 to tie it.

The Blues took a 1-0 lead just 56 seconds into the game on a goal by Keith Tkachuk, who was waiting at the side of the crease. St. Louis made it 2-0 at 5:02 on an unassisted goal by Pavol Demitra.

Heinze scored at 6:16 to cut the Blues' lead to 2-1.

St. Louis regained its two-goal edge at the 17-minute mark on a goal by Young, who was set up by Doug Weight.

St. Louis' Mike Keane and Pronger were called for hooking penalties, and Los Angeles took advantage of the power play when Palffy scored at 4:04 of the second to make it 3-2.

But Young scored his second of the game, knocking in a loose puck in front of the goal at 12:08, giving St. Louis a 4-2 lead.

Deadmarsh scored at 4:45, and Buchberger at 7:48 on a 2-on-1 breakaway to tie it 4-4.

The Blues were scoreless on five power-play chances and have failed to convert in their last 13 opportunities.

"It wasn't very effective tonight," Quenneville said of the power play. "We've got to get some production out of it."