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 following his relief appearance against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, where he stopped 15 of 17 shots in a 6-1 loss.
“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 an assist for the Blues, who won for only the second time in their last 10 games. Joseph is 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; there was 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.”
For Buffalo, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves, but the Sabres' seven-game point streak ended.
“We missed some early opportunities that I think could have changed the game,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said.
Game Summary
- Final Score: Blues 3, Sabres 0
- Hofer's third career shutout
- Joseph's 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists)
- Faulk's goal and assist
- Sabres' 7-game point streak snapped (3-0-4)
St. Louis secured a strong rebound after a tough previous night, showcasing resilience and teamwork.
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