Hofer Makes 28 Saves, Blues Shut Out Sabres
Game Summary
Joel Hofer made 28 saves to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday. Hofer earned his third career shutout after recently stopping 15 of 17 shots in relief of Jordan Binnington during a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
“Especially after last night, it tells a lot about our group, the character we have. After last night it was tough but bounced back and got a good win.” — Joel Hofer
Key Players
- Mathieu Joseph contributed a goal and two assists.
- Justin Faulk scored a goal and added an assist, helping the Blues improve to 5-8-2.
- Jordan Kyrou, tied for second on the team with eight points in 14 games, was scratched for St. Louis.
Coach's Decision and Team Effort
“There were several people we weren’t happy with the effort last night. It didn’t matter the role, there were a lot of guys that didn’t play up to their role or responsibilities on the team. And the players we ended up going with we thought gave us the best opportunity to win tonight.” — Jim Montgomery, Blues coach
Buffalo Sabres Performance
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves for the Sabres, who saw their seven-game point streak end with the loss. Buffalo's record dropped to 5-5-4, including a streak of three regulation losses and four overtime or shootout losses.
Streaks and Records
- Blues have won two of their last three games.
- Sabres' seven-game point streak ended.
Summary: Joel Hofer's strong goaltending and key contributions from Joseph and Faulk propelled the Blues to a decisive shutout, while Buffalo's unbeaten streak was snapped amid lineup changes and effort concerns.
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