Observations from Blues' 3-0 Win Vs. Sabres

The St. Louis Blues responded to Jordan Kyrou's healthy scratch with a strong 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. After a poor showing against the Washington Capitals the night before, the team showed renewed energy and accountability.

Key Performances and Coaching Decisions

Goalie Joel Hofer delivered a sharp performance, earning his first shutout of the season and the third of his career.
Secondary scoring came from Mathieu Joseph and Nick Bjugstad, contributing to the win.
Coach Jim Montgomery made the bold decision to healthy-scratch top players Jordan Kyrou and Oskar Sundqvist, with Kyrou's scratch being particularly surprising.
Robert Thomas was also likely benched for the final 9:18 of the second period, showing Montgomery's commitment to holding players accountable.

Team Effort and Attitude

Despite it being the second game of a back-to-back, the Blues conducted a morning skate, emphasizing their dedication to improvement after a lackluster previous game.

"Montgomery wanted guys digging in, life, juice, compete and battle from his players and got it. The Blues were obliterated on loose pucks, wall battles and 1-on-1 battles against the Capitals on Wednesday."

Season Context

The Blues now have a record of 5-8-2. Depending on perspective, they have won two of their last three games or only their second win in the past ten outings (2-6-2).

Summary

The Blues’ clear message of accountability and increased effort led to a clean-sheet victory, signaling positive momentum after a rough patch.

The Hockey News — 2025-11-07