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Calgary Flames' Brian Elliott makes triumphant return to St. Louis

By Rob Rains, The Sports Xchange
Caglary Flames goaltender Brian Elliott stops a St. Louis Blues shot in the first period at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on October 25, 2016. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Caglary Flames goaltender Brian Elliott stops a St. Louis Blues shot in the first period at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on October 25, 2016. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

ST. LOUIS -- Playing in a building where he has had great success the last few years, there was only one thing different for Brian Elliott on Tuesday night at Scottrade Center.

Elliott was the visiting goalie on this night; instead of playing for the St. Louis Blues he took the ice for his new team, the Calgary Flames.

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The Blues traded Elliott to the Flames in June after five seasons in St. Louis, and Tuesday night marked his first game against the Blues since Nov. 19, 2010, when he was still playing for Ottawa.

Elliott stopped 23 of 24 shots in carrying the Flames to a 4-1 victory, their first in St. Louis after seven consecutive losses dating back to April 1, 2011.

"I had so much fun playing in front of these fans and in this building that I wanted to do it again even though it's with another team," Elliott said. "The guys did a heck of a job in front of me to get that win for me."

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The St. Louis fans saluted Elliott by his nickname, Moose, as he took the ice before the game and again during the contest. The Blues also played a video tribute to Elliott and his teammate, right winger Troy Brouwer, also a former Blue who signed with the Flames as a free agent.

"I knew how much the fans kind of loved that," Elliott said. "It was special for me hearing that and really kind of got me into the game and have that feeling a little bit. I'm sure they don't like the result now, but it meant a lot and that video tribute meant a lot a well."

Elliott had to make only 11 saves through the first two periods as the Flames built a 3-0 lead. They got an early power-play goal from defenseman Dennis Wideman, also a former Blue, and goals from defenseman Deryk Engelland later in the first period and center Sam Bennett early in the second period.

He didn't play when the two teams met in Calgary on Saturday night, but the Blues knew what to expect from Elliott when they found he would be playing on Tuesday night -- despite having to go seven rounds deep into a shootout to win Monday night's game 3-2 in Chicago.

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"He was great tonight but we didn't make it too hard on him either," said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. "He's too good of a goalie to not have traffic in front of him, to not have grade A scoring chances. He made a couple of big saves but for the most part we know how sound he is and how sound he can be for a team and we didn't really do anything to make him uncomfortable."

Shattenkirk scored the only goal for the Blues, spoiling Elliott's shutout bid, when the Blues had a 5-on-3 power play after the Flames were called for two minor penalties 17 seconds apart early in the third period.

"I feel for him not being able to get that doughnut out there because we felt like we had and then we gave them a 5-on-3, sort of a lucky one," said defenseman Mark Giordano. "He reads the play so well. A lot of their one-timers if you really watch he's already there before the puck is shot. It's a confidence booster for us. We know we can give up some shots and he's going to be there to stop them for us."

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Left winger Johnny Gaudreau completed the scoring for the Flames with a late empty-net goal.

Even though the Blues won their first two home games last week, over the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers, coach Ken Hitchcock has not been pleased by the way the team has played in their first three games in St. Louis.

"I'm alarmed by the way were playing at home," Hitchcock said. "We're not doing the things we need to do at home to win hockey games. We're playing a different game on the road. I'm concerned about the collective effort and focus we're putting in at home. That's what we'll talk about tomorrow."

NOTES: After being a healthy scratch for the last two games, 18-year-old LW Matthew Tkachuk was back in the Flames' lineup for the game in his hometown, where he grew up watching his father, Keith, play for the Blues. Tkachuk can play two more games before Calgary has to decide to keep him on the roster or return him to his junior team. ... D Niklas Grossman also was inserted into the Calgary lineup, with D Jyrki Jokipakka and C Freddie Hamilton the team's healthy scratches. ... C Jori Lehtera, who missed his fourth consecutive game with an upper-body injury, could return to the Blues' lineup on Thursday night when they host the Detroit Red Wings. ... The Flames return home to play the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

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