The St. Louis Blues continue to be an enigma in 2025-26. They had a solid performance in the final two periods in a win over Edmonton and then had one of their worst games of the season in a loss to Washington.
With no rest, it would not have been shocking to see them continue to crumble in Buffalo. While that didn't happen initially, the Blues did not have a great start.
The entire first period was nothing but a slog for both teams. I honestly can't remember a game that was so slow, unless we're talking little kids' hockey.
There was a total of 11 shots on goal, and the Blues only had four of them. While Buffalo only had seven themselves, they had quality looks, and Joel Hofer had to make several big saves.
Things looked bleak when Hofer made a great right pad save on a rush play, but the Blues were penalized. Instead of giving up the lead, the Blues struck first with a short-handed breakaway goal for Mathieu Joseph.
It was shocking to see the Blues with an early lead. Nevertheless, the nerves remained as the Blues still didn't kick it into a higher gear.
The second period was an improvement. There was a little more skating, and plays were made with purpose instead of hope.
The Blues doubled their lead less than three minutes in. Nick Bjugstad showed initiative by coming in on the left wing and firing a shot under the defender's stick shaft and past the goaltender instead of forcing a pass, and it was 2-0.
Jimmy Snuggerud took a late-period penalty, but the PK actually kept things calm. The Blues kept the lead into the third period, where they took another offensive zone penalty.
St. Louis managed to kill that one off, too, and then it appeared as though they had taken a three-goal lead shortly after. Unfortunately, Snuggerud seemed to be trying to kick the puck to his stick, and it went in with no extra touch, so it remained 2-0 after review.
St. Louis kept defending, far too much in fact. They relied on Hofer too much, but in fairness, the defense did keep most of the lanes clogged, even if they were unable to get clean exits.
The Blues never really re-established themselves offensively at the end, but they got the job done. On a late power play, Justin Faulk denied a cross-ice pass that would've resulted in a shorthanded goal, and then he scored on the empty Buffalo net once it was a six-on-five for the Sabres. St. Louis won by a final score of 3-0.
Pro: Hofer
At long last, we finally get another game where the Blues win and the goaltenders get the result they deserved. It's been a rough start to the season for Joel Hofer, and this was what he needed for his confidence.
Hofer was the only reason Buffalo didn't score in the first and third periods. The Blues weren't bad, but they weren't lively in the first period and seemed to focus too much on clogging things up in the third.
While they were successful, Hofer had to be very strong. He made a huge kick save on that partial break with about eight minutes left in the first. He robbed Alex Tuch of a goal on a back-door play and made several big glove saves, including one right on the doorstep that was the save of the night and maybe of the season for Joel.
Hofer finished the game off strong and quietly, rarely getting frazzled in his movements. He definitely earned his shutout.
Con: Penalties called
We've seen far worse officiating, but the inconsistencies in officiating early this season are a little grating. They're making up calls and then letting actual penalties go.
The worst was when Alex Texier was called for a hold when he just had his hands on either side of his opponent to ride him into the boards. That's a natural hockey play, but the official called it a penalty because he thinks the arms wrapped all the way around. Meanwhile, Pavel Buchnevich was actually tripped up by Tage Thompson minutes later, and no call was made.
The Blues finally got some pressure on their forecheck, and then the refs turned around and penalized them for weak holding calls. I want speed and fluidity as much as any fan, but these calls are not punishing actual fouls because nobody was actually impeded.
Pro: Penalty kill
Given the fact that the Blues entered with one of the worst penalty kill percentages in the league, having three calls against you could've really altered the outcome. Thankfully, the PK actually came to play.
Not only did they kill off all three Buffalo power plays, but they scored a shorthanded goal for the second game in a row. There's still a little too much rigidity for the defensive box, but at least the defenders were moving and not standing like pillars.
Pro: Faulk
There's a loud section of online Blues fandom that is pretty anti-Justin Faulk. I'm not among those, but even I have to say it's been a hiccup of a start for him.
While he and Philip Broberg went a long stretch without an even-strength goal against, once one went in, things went south for Faulk. Pucks went in off of him, he was caught behind the net a few times, and he just looked slow.
That was all gone in this game. He was one of the few defenders who led passes correctly or skated out of the zone with clear purpose.
Faulk finished the game with three shots, two points, a block, and a hit, although it felt like he had more of those last two. Still, he made impactful plays.
The empty net goal was the icing on the cake. His biggest play of the game was probably the block on the shorthanded rush for Buffalo. If the Sabres score there, the Blues likely collapse late in the game like we've seen so many times. Instead, he blocks the pass and forces a tough angle shot, and the Blues preserve the shutout and win.
Overview:
I'd love to say this game and the Edmonton game are signs the Blues have turned the corner. Unfortunately, the reality is they've still lost eight of their last 10.
They've been blown out, humiliated, and made to look completely inept except in a handful of games. So, even though Buffalo came into this one hot, all we can say is this was a nice win.
There's still a lot wrong. The Blues got three goals, but only hit the net 17 times.
Only five came in the third period. That means the Blues barely had the puck, barely had pressure or possession, and relied on defending and chipping it out for line changes rather than playing hockey.
Regardless, the Blues played the way they needed to to win the game. It definitely wasn't pretty or all that exciting, but they need wins and points, not to wow the crowd.
My hope is less about perceived sustainability, but rather that Jim Montgomery's message is being received. St. Louis beat Edmonton with a lineup that wasn't all their more talented players, but some that just fit in the moment.
The same is true of the win in Buffalo. Jordan Kyou got scratched, as did Oskar Sundqvist and Logan Mailloux.
Mailloux makes sense since he's struggling and it's leading directly to goals. Kyrou is always a threat to score, even if other parts of his game lack at times. Leaving him out is a risk, but it paid off.
I hope the roster learns from these things. After the Blues won the 2019 Stanley Cup, we all knew they couldn't play an entire season the way they played those playoffs.
However, there still needs to be at least a glimpse of what that team did, even during a regular season. Even if you lose, you need to make the other team know you were there.
During this losing streak, that was not the case. In the last couple of wins, the Blues weren't bruisers, but at least they played with enough effort and purpose to get it done.