DETROIT • After stretching their record to 13-0-2 in their last 15 games at Scottrade Center last week, the Blues were curious about how that would translate on the road.

Detroit's Joe Louis Arena might be the best rink in the NHL to look for that answer, but once again, the venue was not kind to the Blues in a 3-1 loss Monday.

The Red Wings won their franchise-best 17th consecutive home game, pulling to within three of the league record held by Boston and Philadelphia.

Three of the Blues' last four road games have been at "The Joe," and they are 0-3 in those trips, falling to 8-10-3 away from Scottrade Center this season.

"I think it's a good test," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after the game. "We need more of these. We're going to get lots of them, so we need more of them."

The Blues will return to Scottrade Center to face Pittsburgh tonight before breaking 10 days for the NHL All-Star game. They return Feb. 3 and face Los Angeles at home, but after that, the club will play a total of 19 games on the road in February and March.

"We're going to have to (be better on the road)," Blues forward Jamie Langenbrunner said. "We've got a lot of road games coming up in February and March. If we're going to be hanging around with these guys at the end, we better start winning some games on the road. You can't just win at home. We'll find out."

DOMINANT DIVISION

The Central Division has four teams among the top six spots in the Western Conference standings and only five points separate No. 1 Detroit (67 points), No. 4 Blues and Chicago (64) and No. 6 Nashville (62).

Including the Blues' trip to Detroit on Monday, they are playing nine of their remaining 34 games against those other three teams, and six are on the road.

The team still has three games left in Chicago, where they have yet to play this season.

"It's always scary when four teams from the same division are in the playoffs in the hunt," Hitchcock said. "This is very unique what's going on. You've got four who are fighting for the division lead. It's just going to make for unbelievable games when you're playing each other.

"Every game is going to be the proverbial four-pointer, every game is going to have huge momentum swings ... every game is going to have an atmosphere of high consequences.

"It's going to get a lot of attention every time we play each other."

NICHOL'S MILESTONE

Blues forward Scott Nichol played in his 600th NHL game Monday in Detroit, which means he might be sleeping easier on the road in the future.

Normally, players are paired with roommates on the road, but in the NHL's collective-bargaining agreement, it specifies that those with 600 games are entitled to their own room.

Nichol stays with defenseman Kent Huskins, his former San Jose teammate, on the road.

"Now I don't have to push the two beds together and make ‘Husky' sleep in the bathtub anymore," Nichol said. "So I'm sure he'll be happy with it."

Drafted by Buffalo in the 11th round in 1993, Nichol played six seasons with Rochester in the American Hockey League and another year with the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League before suiting up for his first full NHL season with Calgary in 2001-02.

"It's nice, especially how I got here, playing seven years in the minors and then starting in the NHL real late in my career ... just keep plugging away," said Nichol, who scored his second goal of the season in Monday's loss.

BLUENOTES

Forward Alex Steen (concussion) missed his 12th consecutive game Monday and won't play tonight against Pittsburgh, as the Blues will keep him out until after the All-Star break

•Forward Chris Porter returned to the lineup Monday night after being a healthy scratch for seven straight games and 10 of 11.