The St. Louis Blues finally found relief after a difficult stretch, shutting out the Buffalo Sabres 3–0 on the road Thursday night. It was the kind of statement win head coach Jim Montgomery had been seeking—defined by structure, energy, and accountability. For a team that had dropped four straight and eight of its last nine, the performance carried a sense of renewal.
Much of that turnaround stemmed from the play of backup goaltender Joel Hofer, who delivered his third career NHL shutout with 27 saves. Just 24 hours earlier, the Blues were coming off a humbling 6–1 defeat to the Washington Capitals, a loss that prompted Montgomery to bench forward Jordan Kyrou in a bid to reset the team’s mindset.
This time, the message appeared to land. Hofer’s calm presence in net set the tone, and his timely saves gave the Blues the confidence they had been lacking. The defensive group responded with grit, recording 19 blocked shots and three successful penalty kills in one of their most disciplined outings of the season.
How Montgomery’s message sparked a needed response
After the game, Montgomery’s praise was pointed and purposeful. “I thought the majority of the game the effort was significantly better than yesterday. I thought the physicality was good. I liked the way we dug in. There were numerous blocked shots and our goaltender was our best player, and that’s what you need on the road,” he told reporters, per The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford.
Goalie Joel Hofer #30 of the SBlues tends net against the Capitals. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
The comments captured the balance Montgomery has been searching for—a team willing to defend hard, commit to details, and rely on strong goaltending. For Hofer, it was a defining moment, proving he could handle the pressure of leading the team through adversity.
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A blueprint for the Blues’ climb back to form
Offensively, the Blues found timely production from Mathieu Joseph, who scored a short-handed goal in the first period before assisting on tallies by Nick Bjugstad and Justin Faulk. That combination of opportunism and defensive structure was precisely what Montgomery demanded after recent struggles.
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The 3–0 victory lifted St. Louis to 5–8–2, providing both statistical and psychological relief. With a four-game homestand on the horizon—featuring matchups against the Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Toronto Maple Leafs—the Blues now have a chance to regain momentum.
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