Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Hannu Toivonen turned aside 35 shots, and the St. Louis Blues swept a home-and-home series from the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 4-1 win in the last game of the season for both clubs.

Keith Tkachuk picked up his 500th career goal with a late empty-netter, and added an assist for the Blues, who had dropped six of seven before sweeping two from the Blue Jackets. David Perron also had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who finished the season in last place in the Central Division and 14th out of 15 clubs in the Western Conference, with 79 points and a 33-36-13 record.

St. Louis missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

Michael Peca scored the lone goal for the Blue Jackets, who dropped five straight and eight of nine to finish the season just ahead of the Blues in the division, with a franchise-best 80 points. Fredrik Norrena let in three goals on 18 shots for Columbus, which finished the season at 34-36-12.

The Blue Jackets, who entered the league in the 2000-01 season, have never made the playoffs.

"Obviously we wanted to have a better season," said Blue Jackets left wing Rick Nash. "I don't think people expected us to do what we did. We've got to move on, look at it as a positive and start worrying about next year."

Peca opened the scoring with a power-play mark at 4:50 of the opening frame, but it was the last lead the Blue Jackets enjoyed. David Backes notched the equalizer almost 10 minutes later, and the teams were tied at 1-1 after one period.

Brad Boyes scored the lone goal of the second period, at 13:08, to put the Blues on top.

Perron's redirection of a Ryan Johnson shot gave the Blues a 3-1 lead with 9:48 left in regulation. The Blue Jackets pulled Norrena late in the third, giving Tkachuk a chance to join the 500-goal club. The 36-year-old flipped in a long empty-net goal with 1:34 left, and the St. Louis bench emptied to congratulate the 16-year veteran's landmark score.

"I've just been very fortunate, played with a lot of great players," said Tkachuk. "To be able to do it in St. Louis, as a Blue, meant a lot to me."

Tkachuk scored three goals in the last two games of the season, giving him 27 on the campaign, and making him the 41st player in NHL history to score 500. He is the fourth American-born player to reach the milestone, joining Joe Mullen, Mike Modano and Jeremy Roenick.