Buffalo Sabres vs. St. Louis Blues: Game Recap
The Buffalo Sabres were shut out 3-0 by the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night at KeyBank Center despite allowing only 17 shots on goal. The Sabres struggled on the power play, going 0-for-3, and could not find a way past Blues goaltender Joel Hofer, who made 27 saves.
Game Summary
- First period: The Blues scored first on a shorthanded breakaway goal by Mathieu Joseph with under eight minutes left, taking a 1-0 lead.
- Second period: Nick Bjugstad extended St. Louis' lead to 2-0 just under three minutes in, assisted by Justin Faulk and Mathieu Joseph.
- Third period: Justin Faulk added an insurance goal at 18:58 to secure the 3-0 victory for the Blues, assisted by Mathieu Joseph.
Key Players and Stats
The Sabres generated 23 scoring chances but were unable to score. Tyson Kozak returned after missing five games due to a lower-body injury, playing 10:10 minutes. Buffalo played without Jason Zucker, Jiri Kulich, and Zach Benson.
Team Records and Streaks
The Sabres' record moved to 5-5-4 after this loss. Their seven-game points streak, the longest since 2023, ended with this defeat.
“The Blues opened the scoring with a shorthanded breakaway goal from Mathieu Joseph to make it 1-0 with less than eight minutes remaining in the first period.”
“The Sabres had 23 scoring chances according to Natural Stat Trick but were unable to crack Joel Hofer who recorded 27 saves.”
Scoring Summary
- 1st Period, 12:38 (SH): Mathieu Joseph (2) SHG, unassisted (STL 1 - BUF 0)
- 2nd Period, 2:42: Nick Bjugstad (4) from Justin Faulk (5) and Mathieu Joseph (3) (STL 2 - BUF 0)
- 3rd Period, 18:58: Justin Faulk (3) from Mathieu Joseph (4) (STL 3 - BUF 0)
Author’s summary: Despite solid defensive efforts and multiple scoring opportunities, the Sabres failed to score, ending their seven-game points streak with a 3-0 loss to the Blues.