"As they chase playoff certification and flirt with credibility as a top NHL team, the Blues have vowed to earn their keep on the road in the concluding weeks of the 2011-12 season.

That resolution notwithstanding, they experienced a relapse on Saturday, losing their first road test of the second half 3-1 to the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

"Smashville" is an inviting place for St. Louis fans, and a large contingent was on hand to encourage the Note and indulge in the postgame nightlife. But Music City is a far less hospitable for the Blues.

Since Dec. 28, the Predators have been the best team in the NHL with a 14-3-0 record. From a historical standpoint, the Preds are 22-11-7 all-time against the Blues at Bridgestone Arena, including 6-2-3 in the last 11 meetings.

And a big reason for that disparity is the presence of goaltender Pekka Rinne. The NHL is waiting for Tom Stillman and his group to satisfy terms and buy the team from Dave Checketts and Company. Perhaps it would speed things up if the league just recognized that Rinne owns the Blues.

The Big Fin has been im-Pekka-able against the neighbors to the north. He came into the showdown 11-5-2 with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage lifetime vs. the Blues. This season, he is 4-0 while stopping 146 of 151 Blues shots. Against the league as a whole, Rinne has won 11 consecutive starts. Against the league as a whole, the Preds had won 13 of their last 15 at Bridgestone."