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 against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. After a very poor performance against the Washington Capitals the night before, the Blues showed significant improvement.
Key Players and Performances
- 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.
- Jordan Kyrou was healthy scratched by coach Jim Montgomery as a form of accountability, alongside Oskar Sundqvist.
- Robert Thomas was also benched towards the end of the second period.
Coaching and Team Response
Coach Jim Montgomery emphasized accountability for all players, regardless of status. The team demonstrated renewed energy and competitiveness, even holding a morning skate before the game—an unusual step after a poor previous performance.
"It’s holding players accountable, no matter who it is."
The Blues' record after the game stood at 5-8-2. Depending on perspective, they have either won two of their last three games or just two in the past ten (2-6-2).
Team Effort and Competitiveness
Montgomery wanted his players to improve in loose puck battles, wall battles, and one-on-one play—all areas where the team was dominated against the Capitals. Against the Sabres, the Blues showed much better engagement and compete level.
"Montgomery wanted guys digging in, life, juice, compete and battle from his players and got it."
Summary
The Blues’ disciplined approach and team accountability led to a solid shutout victory, highlighting a needed turnaround in effort and performance.
Author’s summary: The Blues rebounded strongly by emphasizing accountability and energy, resulting in a confident 3-0 shutout win over the Sabres after a tough prior game.