ST. LOUIS — Brian Elliott had another standout game in net, David Backes and Jori Lehtera had goals and the St. Louis Blues opened their first Western Conference final in 15 years with a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night.

Tomas Hertl scored on a first-period deflection for the Sharks, who outshot St. Louis 32-23 but couldn’t quite solve Elliott.

The Sharks were the best road team in the NHL in the regular season at 28-10-3, but have dropped four in a row on the road in these playoffs, including all three in the second round against Nashville.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

NOTES

LIGHTNING: Goalie Ben Bishop has not been ruled out for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night, Lightning Coach Jon Cooper said.

Cooper declined to elaborate on Bishop’s status beyond saying he was still “day to day,” but did say he was encouraged by the progress Bishop has made since he had to be carted off the ice on a stretcher in the first period against the Penguins on Friday.

Bishop, for his part, said his immediate thought was that he had broken his leg, but X-rays and MRIs came back clean.