"With a chance to leap over Detroit for the top spot in the NHL standings, the Blues once again failed to respond to a Red Wings charge and fell 3-1 at Joe Louis Arena on Monday night.

The Blues have knocked off many of the league's top teams this season and deserve their view from above. But after winning the first two games of the season series against Detroit, the club has melted at times in three straight road losses to the Wings.

On Monday, Detroit scored two second-period goals to take a 2-1 lead, and after allowing the Blues to hang around, the Red Wings added a third unanswered goal with three minutes remaining to skate off with the team's 17th consecutive victory at home.

The Blues lost in regulation for the first time in their last nine games and goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who was perhaps the club's best player Monday, had his career-high seven-game winning streak snapped and dropped his first decision in regulation in his last 15 starts."