updated 1:10 a.m. ET Feb. 1, 2004

ST. LOUIS - Mike Danton is still having problems with the New Jersey Devils.

Danton, traded from New Jersey to St. Louis before last season, was the center of attention Saturday after returning a puck to the Devils that the team had recently shipped to him.

New Jersey coach Pat Burns said the puck was from Danton’s first goal with the Devils, and put it out for his players to see before their 4-1 victory over Danton and the Blues.

“He said he didn’t need it anymore,” Burns said about Danton, who played against his old team for the first time.

“What can I say?” Sergei Brylin asked. “I’ve got my first puck at home on the shelf and I’m very proud of it. I don’t know what he’s thinking about.”

However, Danton said the puck was not from his first goal.

“It wasn’t my first-goal puck,” he said. “I have my first-goal puck.”

Brian Gionta scored two goals, Martin Brodeur made 30 saves, and Brylin and Patrik Elias added goals for the defending champion Devils, 6-2-1 in their last nine games.

Keith Tkachuk scored for the Blues, winless in their last four games against the Devils. This was the only meeting this season between the two clubs.

“We just couldn’t find a way to beat that Brodeur,” Tkachuk said. “He’s a great goalie and that’s why he’s a big time goalie. Right now we’ve got to snap out of it because we’re slipping away pretty quick.”

St. Louis is 0-5-1 in its last six games. The Blues have scored just 11 goals in their last eight games, and have two goals or fewer in 13 of their last 15 games.

“We played obviously one of the top teams in the league tonight and we came out of the game and played a great first period,” Scott Mellanby said. “We’re just really having a hard time getting the puck in the net.”

St. Louis goalie Reinhard Divis sustained his first career loss, dropping his record to 5-1-1.

The Devils went ahead 3-1 on two goals in a 31-second span of the second period.

Langenbrunner ripped a slap shot from the top of the slot that went through traffic. Brylin deflected the shot in for the go-ahead goal at 12:51.

Scott Gomez set up the second goal, intercepting Jamal Mayers’ pass intended for Chris Pronger. Gomez fed Elias, who scored on a breakaway at 13:38 to make it 3-1. Elias’ 19th goal came on a wrist shot from the slot that went over Divis’ shoulder.

The two-goal outburst sealed the Blues’ fate.

“When you’re leading by two goals, it’s pretty easy,” Burns said. “They have to come out us, we didn’t have to go at them.”

Gionta added an empty-net goal in the final minute.

Notes: Blues D Alexander Khavanov was scratched because of a foot injury. He was hit by a shot Thursday night against Vancouver. ... Blues F Pascal Rheaume, acquired off waivers from the New York Rangers on Thursday, made his first appearance. Rheaume previously played for the Blues as well as for the Devils.

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