Hofer Makes 28 Saves as Blues Blank Sabres
Joel Hofer stopped 28 shots to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday night. The win marked his third career shutout and helped the Blues rebound from a tough loss the previous evening.
“Especially after last night, it tells a lot about our group, the character we have,” Hofer said. “It was tough, but we bounced back and got a good win.”
Hofer had come in relief the night before, stopping 15 of 17 shots in a 6-1 defeat to the Washington Capitals. This time, he anchored a strong defensive effort that limited Buffalo’s opportunities.
Key Performers
- Mathieu Joseph recorded one goal and two assists for St. Louis.
- Justin Faulk added a goal and an assist.
- Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves for Buffalo.
Team Notes
With the victory, the Blues improved to 5-8-2, winning two of their last three games. Forward Jordan Kyrou was scratched despite being tied for second on the team with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 14 games.
“There were several people we weren’t happy with the effort last night,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “It didn’t matter the role. The players we went with gave us the best chance to win tonight.”
The Sabres (5-5-4) saw their seven-game point streak (3-0-4) come to an end with the loss.
Author’s Summary
Hofer’s sharp goaltending and strong team response guided the Blues to a needed shutout, halting Buffalo’s momentum and restoring confidence in St. Louis.