(My Sportsbook) - The Nashville Predators will hit the road for the first time this season tonight and will battle St. Louis in the Blues' home opener at Scottrade Center.

Nashville has dominated St. Louis over the past two seasons, going 15-1 against them. The Predators took all eight meetings with them in 2005-06, then went 7-1 last year. Nashville's lone loss came in St. Louis, where the club is 7-1-1 in its last nine trips.

The Predators, who had their roster gutted via free agency this offseason, are 2-0 to start the year. One player the club lost was Paul Kariya, who signed with St. Louis and will face his former team tonight.

Nashville, meanwhile, defeated Colorado on October 4 before downing Dallas, 5-1, on Saturday.

David Legwand recorded his second career hat trick in the win, while J.P. Dumont and Martin Gelinas also lit the lamp. Gelinas' goal was an empty netter with 1:24 left in the game, and Legwand scored with Stars netminder Mike Smith back in net just five seconds later.

Martin Erat added three assists, giving him four on the season.

Chris Mason had his second straight solid outing between the pipes. He posted his ninth career shutout against the Avalanche before making 28 saves versus Dallas, giving him a 0.50 goals-against average and .984 save percentage on the young season. That performance earned Mason the NHL's third star of the week.

After this brief trip away from Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Preds return home for two straight games, beginning Thursday against Phoenix.

The Blues come into this clash on a winning note after defeating Los Angeles 5-3 on Saturday for their first win of the season. The club lost its season- opener to Phoenix on October 4.

St. Louis netted four goals in the third period, with rookie defenseman Erik Johnson's first professional goal proving to be the game-winner.

Down 3-1, Keith Tkachuk and David Backes netted third-period tallies to tie things at three. On the man advantage with 7:17 to go, Doug Weight fed Johnson, the first overall pick of the 2006 draft, at the point and the young defender fired a slap shot for the go-ahead goal, his first in just his second career game.

Jamal Mayers scored twice for the Blues, who won their first game of the season in head coach Andy Murray's return to Los Angeles. Murray guided the Kings from the start of the 1999-2000 season through his firing in March of 2006.

Kariya and Lee Stempniak registered two assists each in the win, though Stempniak is currently slowed by the flu. However, he should play tonight.

Kariya, meanwhile, played with Nashville the last two seasons and has registered 22 career points (10g, 12a) in 20 games against the Predators.

Blues' goaltender Manny Legace stopped 14-of-16 shots in the start, but was hobbled by his right knee and replaced by backup Hannu Toivonen midway through the second period. Toivonen stopped seven-of-eight shots to earn the win.

Toivonen may start tonight, as Legace, who had his season cut short due to arthroscopic knee surgery, is questionable for the game.

Tonight's home opener for the Blues is the first of two straight games at Scottrade Center. The club hosts Colorado on Friday.