CHICAGO (AP) -Brian Boucher, invited to training camp on a tryout basis, stopped 26 shots to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-0 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night in the exhibition opener for both teams.

Brian Bochenski and Adrian Aucoin scored for the Blackhawks.

Chicago's top goalie, Nikolai Khabibulin didn't dress. Patrick Lalime, tabbed for the backup role, is expected to miss three months following surgery last week to repair a herniated disc.

Boucher or Sebastien Caron will likely back up Khabibulin during the first half of the season as Lalime recovers.

St. Louis' Curtis Sanford played the first 29 minutes and 42 seconds, allowing one goal on nine shots. Jason Bacashihua finished, stopping 10 of 11.

Bochenski opened the scoring 3:54 in, beating Sanford from the slot after taking Dave Bolland's centering pass from the corner.

Aucoin made it 2-0 with 3:04 left in the second. His shot from the blue line slipped between Bacashihua's pads while the teams were skating 4-on-4.

The Blackhawks' biggest offseason acquisition, right wing Martin Havlat, was not in the lineup.

Bill Guerin, signed by the Blues as a free agent, played his first game with St. Louis. Doug Weight, reacquired from the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, and goalie Manny Legace - signed from Detroit - didn't dress for the game.

Other games on September 19, 2006