CALGARY, ALBERTA • Over the last two seasons, the Blues have not been considered an offensive juggernaut by any means. Goals have been hard to come by at times.

But if the Blues checked off one item each game, it was scoring at least once. Going into Sunday's meeting with Calgary, the club had gone 111 games without being shut out, the longest streak in the NHL and eight games short of the Blues' franchise record.

This time the offense desperately needed a goal in the closing minutes against the Flames, and they appeared to notch it with three minutes left in regulation.

However, a would-be tally by Brad Boyes - ruled a goal by officials - was negated when a linesman said teammate David Backes knocked down the puck with a high stick before it went to Boyes and the Blues lost 1-0 to the Flames. After the game Boyes was traded to Buffalo for a second-round pick in this year's entry draft.

"We believe it was the right call" on the overruled goal, Blues coach Davis Payne said. "Obviously it would have got the game tied but we had some other chances.''

After a shot by the Blues' Patrik Berglund hit the crossbar with 2 minutes, 6 seconds remaining, Calgary held on for its victory. The Flames managed only 20 shots but received a third-period goal from David Moss.

"I thought it was a very tight hockey game, chances were tough to come by.'' Payne said. "One of theirs went in and none of ours did. It's what we've got to deal with, take back to St. Louis and be ready two days from now."

The Blues, who will face Calgary on Tuesday at Scottrade Center, dropped to 28-25-9 and are seven points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings with 20 games to play. They went 1-2 on a three-game trip and after playing seven games in 10 days, the team will travel home for a day of rest. But that does not mean it will be quiet, as today is the NHL trading deadline.

On Sunday, after scoring five goals in a shutout win over Edmonton, the Blues needed to make a call for offense.

Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has dominated the Blues throughout his career, carrying a record of 15-4-2 with a 2.12 goals-against average into Sunday's meeting.

But the Blues had only three shots in the second period, and with the help of 17 blocked shots against the Flames after two periods, the game remained scoreless. At that point, Blues goaltender Ben Bishop had gone five consecutive periods without allowing a goal. In the third period, Calgary scored with 14:21 left after a turnover.

Defenseman Tyson Strachan, attempting to clear the puck out of the zone, hit Alex Tanguay and Tanguay moved the puck to Moss - who scored his third goal in two games against the Blues this season.

"Kind of an unfortunate play," Bishop said. "It jumped on ‘Stachs' ... it wasn't his fault. I didn't really get a good look at it. He made a good shot."

The Blues thought they tied it 1-1 on the negated goal. Boyes popped the puck into the air, Backes whacked it down and then Boyes knocked the puck in off Kiprusoff.

But the high-stick came before the goal.

"I saw the replay, and (Backes' stick) was close to the crossbar," Boyes said. "We needed it, we thought we had it, but that's the way it is."

Said Backes: "In the heat of the battle, I obviously think it's a good goal. I feel like we got some momentum there and tied the game at a very crucial time in a very crucial game for us. Watching the replay, I think the right (call) was decided upon.

"But just the way it went about, when you've got both of the head guys (officials) staring right at it and they say good goal. Then the linesmen have to come in and change it. It stings a little bit but I guess in the end, it was the right call."

Then with a little over two minutes left, Berglund nearly picked up the goal the Blues needed. The puck rang loudly off the crossbar.

"One of those nights when the puck doesn't go in," Berglund said.

And it was the first time in a long time that had happened.