Stumbling Blues fall to Flames

ST. LOUIS -- Jarome Iginla had two goals and an assist, and scored the game-winner with 3:30 remaining in the Calgary Flames' 4-2 victory over the punchless St. Louis Blues.

That spoiled the home debut of new Blues coach Mike Kitchen.

Iginla is among the NHL leaders with 33 goals, three in two games. He and Steven Reinprecht scored in a span of 51 seconds early in the third period to put the Flames ahead 2-1.

The Blues tied it on a power-play goal by Pavol Demitra with 5:10 left but Iginla put the Flames back ahead with a rebound shot on a three-on-two rush. Reinprecht added an empty-net goal with 33.7 seconds left.

St. Louis scored for the first time in three games, ending a drought of 148 minutes, 22 seconds on Scott Mellanby's first-period deflection on a power play. The Blues have totaled seven goals in six games, going 0-5-1. They are 0-3-1 since Kitchen replaced fired coach Joel Quenneville.

The loss was the latest blow to the Blues' chances of extending their playoff run of 24 straight seasons, the longest current streak in professional sports. This defeat came against one of the teams they are pursuing. The Blues are four points behind the Predators for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference and six behind the Flames, who ended a six-game losing streak against St. Louis.

Reinprecht's sixth goal, and first since Nov. 22, tied it at 1 at 48 seconds of the third. Blues goalie Chris Osgood was scrambling back to the net after being tripped outside the crease by Ville Nieminen when Reinprecht scored.

Iginla put the Flames ahead with his 32nd goal at 1:39, scoring on the rebound of a drive by Andrew Ference while the teams skated four-on-four. Calgary is 18-3-2-1 when Iginla scores.