ATLANTA (AP) -
The St. Louis Blues relied on a fast start to take the momentum from the high-scoring Atlanta Thrashers.
The Blues scored the first goal 5:07 in and never trailed. Ty Conklin stopped 37 shots Tuesday night as St. Louis beat Atlanta 4-2.
Alexander Steen gave St. Louis the lead with a goal late in the second period, but the Blues called the early goal by Brad Boyes the key to the win.
The Thrashers had scored first in 18-of-22 games and had won nine of 13 in games they led 1-0.
"It was very important," Conklin said of the first goal. "Both teams played last night, so momentum was important."
Each team played for the fifth time in seven days. Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay thought his team lacked energy until the final minutes.
The Blues led 3-1 before Dustin Byfuglien scored for Atlanta with 7:23 remaining.
Atlanta's best chance to pull even came when B.J. Crombeen was called for slashing with 1:58 left. The Thrashers pulled goalie Chris Mason for an extra skater, but an empty-net goal by Vladimir Sobotka in the final minute clinched the win for the Blues.
Brad Boyes and Alex Pietrangelo also scored for St. Louis.
Bryan Little scored Atlanta's first goal in the first period.
St. Louis won for only the fourth time in 13 games. Conklin, the backup to No. 1 goalie Jaroslav Halak, earned his fourth win of the season and second this week.
"We played a solid road game," Conklin said. "We didn't sit back. We were solid defensively. We didn't give them too much."