Hofer shines again, will remain with Blues after 3-0 shutout win over Jets

ST. LOUIS -- Unpack your bags, Joel Hofer. The tall, lanky goalie isn't going anywhere, at least for now.

When 6-foot-5, 179-pound tendy was recalled under emergency conditions from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Thursday to replace the suspended Jordan Binnington for two games, nobody knew if he was just going to be goalie dressing as a backup to Thomas Greiss or if he'd actually get to play.

Not only did Craig Berube play Hofer Friday in a 5-2 win at Washington, but the Blues coach didn't hesitate in announcing Hofer as the starter on Saturday against Hofer's hometown Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

It was supposed to be his farewell game, one in which would have sent him out in grand style, a combined shutout making 33 saves in a 3-0 win over the Jets at Enterprise Center, but as well as the 2018 fourth-round pick has played, he can apparently keep his bags unpacked.

For now.

"Yeah, he can stay," Berube said. "... He’s not going down."

So the Blues (31-33-5) will turn Hofer's emergency recall into one of their four post-trade deadline recalls. They already used two of them with Nikita Alexandrov and Tyler Tucker, and having Hofer here on an emergency recall while Binnington, who is eligible to return Tuesday, was out of action.

It's safe to say that Hofer, who in his past seven starts dating five games back with the Thunderbirds and two with the Blues has a 1.00 goals-against average, a scintillating .967 save percentage with three shutouts (one combined) in 419:37 minutes, has made his mark even in an abbreviated time.

"Yeah I think so. Obviously I don't really know what's going to happen here, but I'm just super grateful for my opportunity here," Hofer said. "... I'm obviously super grateful for the opportunity that they've given me. Obviously I'm just happy to be here and get to see the guys again. For me to come here and get two wins is really good.

"It's been huge. Obviously the team's been playing well in front of me. That sounds cliche, but it's true. Even back in Springfield, the guys have been playing really well. Obviously this is crunch time going into the playoffs. You kind of want to build momentum going into the playoffs. I think we've done that."

Hofer, who was 1-1 in two starts last season playing in games at San Jose (win) and Carolina (loss), was calm as a cucumber in net against a desperate Jets side needing the points in the wild card hunt.

"He’s playing good obviously," Blues defenseman Justin Faulk said. "I think he’s got a lot of confidence. We can see it. And when you’re playing like that, you’re going to give the guys a chance and we've just got to step up and do our part and help him out. He’s played good the last two nights as well.

"... He’s not panicking. He’s getting out, he’s playing the puck. Like I said, he’s confident – that’s the way it feels at least. Whether it is or not, you've got to ask him. But that’s the way it feels for us. Like I said, guys enjoy playing in front of that."

Hofer was taking his parents, Stephen and Elaine, out to dinner Sunday night, and instead of maybe rushing through a dinner and having to pack his bags and get back to Springfield on Monday, he can settle in for the time being.

"Yeah, he’s playing some great hockey," Blues forward Nathan Walker said. "I had a chance to play with him last year in Springfield and he was great down there. He’s going to be a great goaltender for years to come.

"Yeah, he’s calm, cool, collected in there for sure."

Hofer had some extra juice going against a team he had watched growing up. He was square to shooters, swallowed up pucks and when he gave up rebounds, they went to areas not so dangerous on the ice.

"Of course. There's obviously a little more motivation there, but I thought the team played really well in front of me," Hofer said. "Obviously limited them to a lot of outside chances and it was nice to get the win, especially against those guys."

Hofer, 22, was eight when the Jets moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta, and used to be a regular at Canada Life Centre, following the Jets.

"Yeah, a lot," he said. "I think everybody from Winnipeg does. Everybody loves hockey from there. I think they moved there in '09. I watched the [Winnipeg] Moose (of the AHL) a lot growing up too before then and when the Jets got there, I just started watching the two. I watched them a lot."

Hofer was settling into Sunday's game nicely but suddenly with 15:05 remaining in the second, he had to depart the game with a skate blade issue. Blues equipment personnel were trying to fix it at the bench area, but when they couldn't, Thomas Greiss came on for a cameo appearance, made one save and departed when Hofer returned with 12:29 remaining.

"I don't even know. I guess it fell out," Hofer said. "I didn't even see the play actually and how it happened. We obviously got it fixed quick and got back in there quick.

"That's never happened, no. I thought it was like a lace that broke to start off with. Obviously saw the blade on the ice, so I didn't really know what to do."

He knew exactly what to do, get back in the cage and thwart off any Jets scoring chances, which he did quite nicely.

"He was good," Berube said. "Again, solid around the net. No rebounds and things like that, so it’s good.

"... It’s great to see him play well. It’s great to see him get a shutout tonight. Good job by the team in front of him. Like I said, I thought they did a great job defending tonight."

What should have been his spotlight and first NHL shutout, Hofer gets credit for a combined shutout, one in which he doesn't mind sharing.

"No, it's alright," he said. "I don't really care about that. I'm just obviously happy to be here and to get the win in front of the home crowd, it was great."

What would have made this a grand night for Hofer is if he would have gotten the chance to get that elusive NHL goalie goal. He scored one for the Thunderbirds on May 13, 2022 in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0CrL3-mpuY[/embed]

The Jets had pulled Connor Hellebuyck with 4:04 remaining, but Hofer, who said he was a skater in his younger days, never got the chance. he will someday.

"For sure I was. How could I not? It's just habit for me," Hofer said. "I don't really even know. It's second-nature to me. Things got to align and it's got to work out. I'm not just going to force it.

"... I was a player back in the day, when I was 10 at least. Obviously when I got back home and hit the yard with my brother, I'm always the player, I never go in net. I'm always shooting pucks."

As long as he can stop pucks, the Blues will be happy, and teaming him up with Binnington moving into next season will make for a solid combo and keep the goaltending pipeline moving in the right direction down the road.