Hofer makes 28 saves, Blues shut out Sabres

Hofer Makes 28 Saves, Blues Shut Out Sabres

Joel Hofer recorded 28 saves, leading the St. Louis Blues to a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday night. It was Hofer’s third career shutout and came after he stopped 15 of 17 shots in relief during a 6-1 defeat to the Washington Capitals the previous evening.

“Especially after last night, it tells a lot about our group, the character we have,” said Hofer. “After last night it was tough but we bounced back and got a good win.”

Key Contributors

Mathieu Joseph scored once and added two assists.
Justin Faulk contributed a goal and an assist.

The Blues improved to 5-8-2, winning two of their last three games. Forward Jordan Kyrou was scratched from the lineup despite having eight points (four goals, four assists) in 14 games.

“There were several people we weren’t happy with after last night,” said Blues coach Jim Montgomery. “It didn’t matter the role—many didn’t play up to their responsibilities. The group we went with tonight gave us the best chance to win.”

Opposition Performance

Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves in the loss. Buffalo’s seven-game point streak (3-0-4) came to an end, leaving them with a 5-5-4 record.

Summary

The Blues responded strongly after a heavy loss, showing resilience and improved effort to secure a decisive shutout victory in Buffalo.

Author’s summary: Hofer’s shutout and the Blues’ renewed effort ended Buffalo’s streak, signaling a morale boost and defensive revival for St. Louis.

National Hockey League — 2025-11-07