• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Legace, Blues stymie Red Wings

Jan 1, 2008 - 3:58 AM By Chuck Klonke PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DETROIT (Ticker) - When rookie defenseman Erik Johnson scores a goal for St. Louis, it means something.

Johnson scored his third goal of the season to break a scoreless tie at 5:47 of the third period Monday and Manny Legace posted his 20th career shutout to lift the Blues to a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

All three of Johnson's goals have been game-winners. The No. 1 overall pick in 2006 scored the decisive tallies against Vancouver on November 23 and against Los Angeles on October 6.

After going more than a month without a goal, Johnson said that frustration was beginning to set in.

"I was just lucky to get to the puck and we got the first goal," he said. "It's been a long time. I've had a drought. I was getting a little bit frustrated. Tonight I was saying, 'Feed me the rock and I'll slam it.'"

Legace, a former Detroit goaltender, turned away 31 shots to record his second shutout of the season. He gave up four goals in the Blues' 5-0 loss to the Red Wings on December 26.

"They embarrass you at home like that and you have to have a better effort," Legace said. "The game after Christmas, I was awful. You have to bring your A game against that team or you'll look bad."

St. Louis coach Andy Murray said Legace was the difference.

"Goaltending was the key to the game, and Manny had a very good night tonight," Murray said.

It was the first time the Red Wings had been shut out since Legace and Curtis Sanford combined to blank Detroit, 1-0, on February 8, 2007. It was the first time the Red Wings had been shut out at home since Andrew Raycroft of Boston beat them, 3-0, on January 7, 2004.

The Blues had not blanked the Wings in Detroit since January 11, 1993.

It was only the second regulation loss in the last 17 games for Detroit, which is 14-2-1 during that stretch. The Red Wings lead the NHL with a 29-8-3 record.

Eight of the previous 12 meetings between Detroit and St. Louis have been decided by one goal, including two of the first four this season.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock said part of the reason for the Red Wings' lack of spark might have been the five-game road trip they just completed.

"If we'd been staying at home and practicing, then I'd be disappointed with the effort but we had no juice in the tank," Babcock said. "That was pretty obvious. We didn't have any jump. Give them credit, they played good."

Johnson's goal came on a slap shot from the blue line that appeared to change direction through traffic in front of Detroit netminder Dominik Hasek.

Lee Stempniak scored an empty-net goal with 22 seconds remaining.

The Blues carried the play in the second period, outshooting Detroit, 9-4. Stempniak nearly broke the scoreless tie at the 12-minute mark when he hit the left goalpost with a shot.

It was the first time this season that the Red Wings have been blanked through the first two periods.

St. Louis had the best scoring chances in the scoreless first period, and they came while the Blues were on a power play late in the period.

Hasek's best save was on Keith Tkachuk. Detroit outshot the Blues, 10-6, in the period.