ST. LOUIS -- In one game, Brent Johnson went from awful to unbeatable.
Bouncing back from a shaky start, Johnson made 26 saves for his first shutout since last December, and Scott Mellanby scored in his season debut as the St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 1-0 Tuesday night.
Johnson, the backup behind Chris Osgood, made his second start of the season. He lasted less than a period in his first start last week at Edmonton, allowing three goals on six shots, and entered Tuesday's game with a 5.29 goals-against average.
"I was chomping at the bit before I got into Edmonton and it didn't go like I wanted it to," Johnson said. "I just tried to keep my focus and tried to bounce back as best I could, and I got a good game tonight."
The Predators came up empty on a handful of point-blank shots in Johnson's first shutout since Dec. 23, 2002. He was at his best in the second period when he thwarted David Legwand, Jordin Tootoo, Scott Walker and Marek Zidlicky.
"We created a ton of opportunities, we just didn't cash in," Predators captain Greg Johnson said. "Johnson played well. We've got to find a way to score and win."
Doug Weight rescued Johnson on Zidlicky's shot that trickled between the pads with 44 seconds left in the period, sweeping it away from the goal line.
"I haven't seen a replay but I think it was pretty close," Brent Johnson said. "So thank you, Dougie."
Mellanby, out since breaking his ribs in the preseason, scored on a power play with 2.3 seconds to go in the first period. He slipped the puck between the legs of Tomas Vokoun off a backhand setup by Pavol Demitra from behind the net.
"They wanted me to stay out until I could come back and not have a lot of pain," Mellanby said. "I never got rocked real bad, but I was in the battling areas and had no apprehensions."
Vokoun said Mellanby was as pesky as he's always been.
"He takes every advantage he can take," Vokoun said. "He makes it tough on you, and that's why he's so good."
The Blues have won four of five since a 4-1 loss at Nashville on Oct. 16. The Predators have lost four in a row since opening the season 3-1, totaling six goals in that span. They were shut out for the first time.
The Blues have beaten the Predators seven straight times at home and are 19-6-3-1 overall against Nashville.
"If anything, there's a little bit of a moral victory because we've had some hard times in this building," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "But moral victories aren't going to get us into the playoffs."
Notes
- Blues D Alexander Khavanov also returned after missing six games with a broken right big toe sustained in the season opener, while C Petr Cajanek was out with sore ribs.
- D Jamie Allison made his season debut for the Predators after recovering from a preseason ribcage injury sustained Oct. 3 at Atlanta.
- Keith Tkachuk also assisted on Mellanby's goal and has three goals and two assists on the power play.
- Demitra has 10 points in the first eight games.
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