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Backes scores twice as Blues top Blue Jackets

Feb 15, 2007 - 4:34 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Bill Guerin is expected to score frequently for the St. Louis Blues. Rookie David Backes is not.

Backes scored twice, including the tie-breaking goal in the third period, and Guerin netted his 26th tally for the Blues, who posted a 4-2 triumph over the Columbus Jackets.

Recalled from Peoria of the American Hockey League on December 19, the 22-year-old Backes recorded his first multi-goal game of the season to help St. Louis raise its road record to 8-3-4 under coach Andy Murray.

"He does a lot of preparation and kind of sets the game plan and all we have to do is go through and execute it," Backes said of Murray. "With the way it's put in front of us, success is contagious like tonight."

Backes netted his second goal of the game and fourth of the season midway through the third when he redirected Jay McClement's centering feed in front past netminder Pascal Leclaire.

"The way my linemates where playing set me up, they made it easy for me," Backes said. "Especially on that second goal with Jay throwing the puck across the crease behind both defensemen right on my tape. I had the easy part."

After Guerin tied the score, 1-1, with 1:05 left in the first period, Backus put the Blues in front in the second with a wrister from the right faceoff circle between Leclaire's legs.

"He (Backes) played great tonight," Guerin said. "He works hard and it is good to see him rewarded with the two goals. That line has been terrific for us the past few games."

A four-time All-Star, Guerin had a hat trick Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks and has five tallies in his last four contests.

"It was just a great pass by Petr (Cajanek)," Guerin said of his goal. "I was pretty much all alone and all I had to do was stop the puck and basically put it in an open net."

Alexander Svitov scored in his second consecutive game for Columbus later in the middle session with his seventh tally of the campaign, a wrister from the slot off defenseman Christian Backman's stick that found the top left corner of the net.

Captain Dallas Drake added an empty-net goal and netminder Manny Legace made 19 saves for St. Louis, which won for just the third time in nine contests.

"Knowing coming in here with the talent they have and things not going very well for them this season, but the talent they have is the same as everyone else in the league," Legace said. "We knew we had to be sharp and the guys put in a great effort all the way around."

"It was a tough one," Guerin said. "They got that first goal and usually they are pretty good after getting the first goal, but we kept playing hard and stayed with it and we were able to get the win."

St. Louis bounced back from Tuesday's 6-5 home defeat to the San Jose Sharks and raised their overall record under Murray to 16-9-5.

"We were much better defensively than we were last night," Murray said. "It was a real good recovery game for us to come in here and get a win. We know the Blue Jackets are tough to play here."

Rick Nash scored his 15th tally and Leclaire stopped 13 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped three of their last four.

"It could have gone either way," Leclaire said. "They made a couple of good plays. I'd like to see that second goal back. That's a stop I usually make and it slipped between my legs."

"It's about winning and we are trying to create a culture here," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We have got some things to build on but we made some mistakes in some areas and we've got to correct them. We are what we are. We work hard and we battle, but we can't create any space for ourselves."