Shanahan, Janney Stay Hot Against Cold Kings

It was encore night for the St. Louis Blues, who got two goals from Brendan Shanahan and three assists from Craig Janney for the second consecutive game.

Janney set up both of Shanahan’s goals in Thursday night’s 6-2 rout of the Kings, but didn’t want any of the credit.

“Brendan has a lot to do with it,” Janney said. “It’s a lot harder to score goals than it is to make passes, that’s for sure.”

The Blues also got a solid game from goalie Curtis Joseph, who made 35 saves and stopped Mike Donnelly on a penalty shot with 4:39 to play. St. Louis held Wayne Gretzky, who has only one career goal against Joseph, to two harmless shots.

Joseph has faced four penalty shots in his career and has not given up a goal, although he said he didn’t know why he’s been so good in that situation.

“I just try and stop it,” Joseph said. “There’s no specific technique, I don’t think.”

Donnelly was impressed.

“I tried to come in fast, shoot quick and try to catch him before he could get his glove up,” Donnelly said. “He made a great save. What can you do?”

He was even more impressed when he learned that Joseph was 4-0 on penalty shots.

“Is he?” Donnelly said. “That makes me feel better.”

Janney is getting back into shape after sitting out 14 games because of a knee injury and being the compensation to Vancouver in the Petr Nedved free-agent signing. The Blues reacquired him on March 21, a week after he went to the Canucks.

“I’m trying to get there,” Janney said of is physical condition. “I don’t think I’m 100% yet, but I had such a layoff.”

Shanahan is zeroing in on his second consecutive 50-goal season, with 47 goals and four games remaining. He has scored seven goals in his last six games.

“I’d be lying if I said I’m not going to try, but I’m certainly not going to be selfish or stop passing the puck or anything,” Shanahan said. “It’s not that important.”

Shanahan added an assist, leaving him four points shy of his first 100-point season. He had 51 goals last season.

Luc Robitaille and Keith Redmond scored for the Kings, who are 9-24-7 on the road.

Brett Hull added his 55th goal for the Blues on a third-period centering pass that deflected into the net off the skate of the Kings’ Tim Watters.

Kevin Miller’s power-play goal at 7:04 of the first period, off a setup from Janney, put the Blues ahead, but not for long. Robitaille got his 42nd goal 28 seconds later, scoring on a 45-foot drive from the right point.

The Blues regained the lead at 19:28 as Vitali Karamnov scored into an open right side on the finishing end of a three-way passing play that started with a backhand pass from Nedved to Phil Housley.

Shanahan got the only goal of the second period, beating goalie Kelly Hrudey from the right faceoff circle.