Hofer Makes 28 Saves as Blues Shut Out Sabres
Joel Hofer recorded 28 saves to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday. This marked Hofer's third career shutout. He started the game after stepping in for Jordan Binnington, who allowed six goals in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals the previous night.
“Especially after last night, it tells a lot about our group, the character we have,” Hofer said. “After last night it was tough but bounced back and got a good win.”
Mathieu Joseph contributed a goal and two assists, while Justin Faulk added a goal and assist. The Blues, now with a 5-8-2 record, have won two of their last three games.
Coach Jim Montgomery decided to scratch forward Jordan Kyrou, who was tied for second on the team with eight points in 14 games. Montgomery explained the decision:
“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.”
Sabres End Seven-Game Point Streak
Buffalo's goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves, but the Sabres (5-5-4) had their seven-game point streak snapped.
- Blues' record: 5-8-2
- Sabres' record: 5-5-4
- Game result: 3-0 Blues win
The Blues were able to bounce back from a disappointing previous night and secured a solid victory in Buffalo.
Author’s summary: Joel Hofer's strong goaltending and solid team effort helped the Blues end Buffalo's seven-game point streak with a confident 3-0 win.