Blues 2, Lightning 0
ST. LOUIS -- Jake Allen stopped all 26 Tampa Bay shots to win a goalie battle with good friend and former minor league teammate Ben Bishop on Tuesday night as the St. Louis Blues earned a 2-0 win over the Lightning.
Tampa Bay was shut out for the second time in as many games, with the result spoiling the homecoming of Bishop, a St. Louis native. The Lightning lost 1-0 in overtime in Chicago on Saturday night.
Center Scott Gomez scored the game's first goal at 15:59 of the first period. He deflected a shot from the point by defenseman Colton Parayko past Bishop, who unsuccessfully argued that Gomez hit the puck with a high stick. It was Gomez's first goal as a member of the Blues.
The Lightning almost tied the game in the final minute of the opening period when a shot by center Alex Killorn hit the post. Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos also hit a post in the second period but the Lightning could not get the puck past Allen, who earned his sixth career shutout.
The Blues added an empty-net goal from right wing Troy Brouwer in the final minute after Tampa Bay pulled Bishop for an extra attacker.
It was the first time in their careers that Allen and Bishop opposed each other in goal. The two were teammates with the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate, the Peoria (Ill.) Rivermen from 2010-12 before Bishop was traded to Ottawa.
Bishop has not won any of the three games he has started in his hometown since being traded away by the Blues, having also lost a game in 2014 and losing in overtime last season, both with the Lightning.
The Lightning has not won a game in St. Louis since Dec. 18, 2009.
NOTES: The injury-riddled Blues invited veteran free agent RWs Martin Havlat and Dainius Zubrus to professional tryouts. Both players were with the New Jersey Devils last season. The team has 10 days to make a decision about signing them to contracts. Two of the team's top six forwards -- C Paul Stastny and LW Jaden Schwartz -- will be out for at least five weeks because of injuries. ... Blues rookie LW Robby Fabbri did return to the lineup Tuesday night after missing six games because of a concussion. ... The Lightning were without C Cedric Paquette because of an undisclosed injury and C Brian Boyle missed his third consecutive game also because of an undisclosed injury. ... The Blues' five-game homestand continues Thursday night with a game against Anaheim. ... Tuesday night's game completed a four-game trip for the Lightning, who play host to Colorado on Thursday night.