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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Once again, the St. Louis Blues will have to
learn to live without the NHL's most valuable player.
|  | | San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov, left, ducks after a shot by St. Louis' Jamal Mayers. |
Defenseman Chris Pronger broke his left forearm when struck by a
clearing pass by teammate Alexander Khavanov in the Blues' 7-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night. He'll be out for the rest
of the regular season.
"Hopefully, it'll make the team that much stronger when he does
come back," said Marty Reasoner, who had two goals. "But you
obviously can't replace a guy like that."
Pronger, who was hurt in the first period, had just returned to
the Blues last weekend after missing 15 games because of knee
surgery.
"He was just so comfortable the last game, and here he goes
again," coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's a tough blow."
The Blues led 1-0 at the time and kept rolling, regaining first
place in the Central Division by a point over idle Detroit.
Reasoner doubled his season goal total and Jochen Hecht also
scored twice for St. Louis, which matched a season high for goals.
The Blues had been outscored 18-9 the previous five games.
It was the most goals this season against the Sharks, who lead
the NHL in fewest goals allowed, and the most in Darryl Sutter's
four seasons as coach.
"It was a total letdown," defenseman Gary Suter said. "It's
our most embarrassing loss of the year."
The Blues scored on a penalty shot for only the 11th time in
franchise history after Scott Hannan pulled down Reasoner at 6:39
of the first period. Reasoner, who entered with one goal in 21
games and a lot of time in the minors, faked twice before beating
Evgeni Nabokov between the pads.
"I was a little nervous because when I faked my first shot he
didn't really move too much," Reasoner said. "So I kind of
panicked and luckily when I brought it across he opened up a little
bit."
It was the Blues' first successful penalty shot since Geoff
Courtnall beat Detroit's Chris Osgood on Oct. 29, 1998. All 11 of
the successful penalty shots have come at home.
Reasoner also scored on a breakaway in the third period against
Nabokov, a rookie who led the NHL in goals-against average and had
allowed only four goals in his last four starts.
"Maybe he's a victim of some of the other guys not faring well
enough," Sutter said. "That's why I left him in there.
"It was a good lesson for him, too."
Reasoner, who added an assist on his 24th birthday, entered with
three points.
"I guess luck had to turn my way sometime," Reasoner said.
Hecht gave the Blues a 2-1 lead -- getting help from a video
replay -- on a short-handed goal at 54 seconds of the second period,
37 seconds after Todd Harvey tied it for the Sharks. He also scored
on a breakaway in the second period to make it 4-1.
Alexander Korolyuk cut the gap to two goals on a power play,
beating Roman Turek at 5:56 of the third. The Blues then put it
away with goals by Jamal Mayers, Reasoner and Khavanov.
Game notes
The Blues and Sharks finished the season series with two victories apiece. The Sharks eliminated the Blues in the first
round of the playoffs last spring after the Blues won the
President's Trophy. ... The Blues lead the NHL with 13 short-handed
goals. ... The Blues are 30-0-2-1 when leading after two periods.
... Nabokov had held opponents to two or less goals in all but 11
of his first 46 starts.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
San Jose Clubhouse
St. Louis Clubhouse
Blues' Pronger knocked out with broken forearm
RECAPS
Ottawa 3
NY Rangers 2
Vancouver 5
Minnesota 2
New Jersey 5
Florida 3
St. Louis 7
San Jose 2
Calgary 3
Dallas 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 ESPN's NHL crew spotlights Chris Pronger's season-ending injury.
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Marty Reasoner fires the puck past Evgeni Nabokov for a score.
avi: 888 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Marty Reasoner feeds Ladislav Nagy for a St. Louis goal.
avi: 954 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Marty Reasoner beats Evgeni Nabokov on the penalty shot for a Blues' goal.
avi: 1455 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jochen Hecht storms the net all alone for a Blues goal.
avi: 924 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Alex Korolyuk puts back a rebound for a San Jose score.
avi: 808 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Blues trainer Ray Barile answers questions about Chris Pronger's injury.(Courtesy KTVI)
wav: 192 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Joel Quenneville says the Blues are focused on staying in first place.
wav: 86 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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