COLUMBUS,OHIO • There's no two ways about it, the Blues had owned the third period.

Coming into Tuesday's start at Nationwide Arena, the Blues had allowed just three third-period goals in the previous 19 games. At one point, the team went a franchise record 10 consecutive games without allowing a third-period goal until that streak came to an end Jan. 21 against Buffalo.

"I just think we're good when the game gets down to the grind," Alex Pietrangelo said. "We really focus defensively. We put pucks in the way we do, when we're really playing well. We don't give teams much in the third period. I just think when the pressure is on, everyone elevates their game."

The third-period dominance should be an asset to the Blues as they come down the season's stretch, particularly on the road. The team has the best home record in the NHL (24-3-4) and is striving to improve its road results.

The Blues had a chance to reach the .500 mark — in NHL semantics — with a victory on Tuesday. But all of that went by the wayside in a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jackets. Tied 1-1 going into the third, the Blues lost the final frame 1-0 and saw their road record dip to 10-12-3.

The third-period magic had been a key for the Blues in recent wins at New Jersey and Ottawa. The team rallied with a goal in the third to tie the Devils, then won in a shootout. At Ottawa, the Blues protected a 3-1 lead with a scoreless third period.

The Note was 23-1-1 when leading after two before Tuesday's game. They were outscoring the opposition 13-3 in the third over those last 19 games. Hard to figure.

"We've talked about it a little in the locker room, about wanting to be a third-period team," forward T.J. Oshie said. "Unfortunately, there have been a lot of times lately where we have to try to come back in the third period and we're pressing, and it's taken us a while to get to our full 200-foot game. But I think a lot of that has to with us being at home so much.

"It's definitely something we want to stamp on our game, but we have to be able to take it on the road, too. It's a little bit of arrogance, but also a level of confidence. We can go out knowing our goalies are playing well and we just have to put some pucks in the net."

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock agreed with Oshie. He surmised the Blues have played some of their best periods on the road, but not always in threesomes. They are hoping to do a better job on the road of setting up their third period mastery by being equally conscientious in the first two periods.

"It's a reflection of our checking," Hitchcock said. "When you check well you can frustrate teams. It's about finding cracks in teams. If we continue to check well, we're going to win hockey games. The minute we stop checking, we're just like 20 other teams in the league."

clash of brothers

There was a "Family Feud" element at work with the Blues in Columbus. Blues defenseman Kris Russell was going up against his fraternal twin brother Ryan Russell, a left winger for Columbus.

The two have not been on opposite sides since their days in junior hockey, when Kris was playing for Medicine Hat and Ryan was skating for Kootenay of the Western Hockey League. The last time they faced each other the brothers wound up fighting each other at center ice.

Kris wasn't anticipating a rematch but acknowledged Ryan wouldn't get any favors in terms of physical play.

"If he's there and I'm in a position where I need to make contact, I will," Kris Russell said. "You know, once you get playing you kind of have one mentality and it kind of takes over."

Hitch on columbus

Naturally, Hitchcock was a popular interview in Columbus after the Blues' morning skate. While holding court, the former Blue Jackets coach was asked about talk that struggling Columbus is shopping some of its players, including captain Rick Nash.

"It's hard for us to comment on other players," Hitchcock said. "They've got good players. Good players with good teams can have bad years, it's happened everywhere in the NHL. They're not the only team having a poor team with good players. So that's the part you have to be really careful of."