ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Goaltender Joel Hofer stopped all 24 shots for his hometown team, backstopping the St. Louis Blues to a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night at Enterprise Center. Justin Faulk scored the game’s only goal on a wrist shot at 13:43 of the second period, assisted by Robert Thomas. Hofer, a Winnipeg native, earned the shutout before a crowd of 16,953. The loss dropped the Jets to 15-18. The Blues, despite the win, own one of the league’s lower marks at 13-22. St. Louis hosts the New York Rangers on Thursday, while Winnipeg visits the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.

ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Joel Hofer, a Winnipeg native, returned to his roots with a defiant performance against his hometown team, stopping all 24 shots he faced to backstop the St. Louis Blues to a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night at Enterprise Center. The shutout, Hofer’s first of the season, was the cornerstone of a gritty, defensive struggle that saw the Blues snap a two-game skid and improve to 13-22. The Jets, meanwhile, saw their modest two-game home winning streak end and fell to 15-18, blanked for the fourth time this season. The game’s lone goal came late in the second period, breaking a tense deadlock. With the Jets applying pressure in the offensive zone, a turnover led to a swift St. Louis counter. Captain Robert Thomas collected the puck in the neutral zone, gained the Winnipeg line, and dropped a pass for a trailing Justin Faulk. The defenseman from South St. Paul, Minnesota, stepped into a wrist shot that beat Connor Hellebuyck cleanly at 16:17 of the middle frame for his eighth goal of the season. Thomas was credited with the assist. That slim margin was all the support Hofer required. The 6-foot-5 netminder was sharp from the outset, weathering an early Jets power play and several high-danger chances. His best sequence came in the final minute of the first period, where he turned aside three rapid-fire attempts from Winnipeg defenseman Neal Pionk and forward Kyle Connor in quick succession to keep the game scoreless. “He was our best player tonight, no question,” Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said of Hofer. “He was calm, he was square to the puck, and he made the big saves when we needed them. That’s what you need from your goaltender in a tight game like this.” Winnipeg, which entered the game as a significant favorite according to National Statistical’s ELO system with a 57.1% win probability, struggled to solve Hofer despite controlling long stretches of play. They outshot St. Louis 24-23 and won 56% of faceoffs but could not capitalize on their opportunities. Hellebuyck was equally stout at the other end, making 22 saves in the losing effort. The contest was characterized by physical play and disciplined defensive structures, with both teams combining for only nine penalties. The Blues’ penalty kill was perfect on three Winnipeg opportunities, while the Jets snuffed out both St. Louis power plays. Pius Suter led all skaters with six shots on goal for the Blues, while Oskar Sundqvist added four. Pionk paced the Jets with four shots. The game’s physical nature was evident in the hit column, with St. Louis’s Mathieu Joseph and Winnipeg’s Morgan Barron among several players delivering notable checks throughout the night. The result defied the pregame betting line, which had Winnipeg installed as a -1.5 favorite, and the projected total, as the single combined goal fell far under the over/under line of 5.5. For the Blues, the win provides a positive start to a critical homestand as they look to climb out of the Central Division cellar. They will host the New York Rangers on Thursday before embarking on a Florida road trip. The Jets, who have lost three of their last four, will continue their road swing with a back-to-back, facing the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and the Utah Mammoth on Sunday. The lack of offensive production will be a primary concern for coach Rick Bowness as they head into the holiday break. The announced attendance at Enterprise Center was 16,953.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Interstat) — Two Central Division teams looking to build on rare victories will meet when the Winnipeg Jets visit the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night at Enterprise Center. The Jets (15-16-0) snapped a three-game skid with a decisive 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The Blues (12-21-0) ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks last Friday. Winnipeg will rely on forward Gabriel Vilardi, who enters on a hot streak. He recorded two goals and two assists in his last two games, including a two-goal performance in the win over Washington. Over his last 10 contests, Vilardi has posted seven goals and five assists, emerging as a consistent offensive threat. St. Louis will counter with goaltender Joel Hofer, who is coming off a 27-save performance in the win against Chicago. His recent play has been a bright spot, highlighted by a 40-save outing in a 2-1 win at Ottawa on Dec. 6. The Blues will need him to be sharp against a Winnipeg attack that erupted for five goals last time out. The Jets’ victory over Washington was fueled by Vilardi and Alex Iafallo (one goal, one assist), with Connor Hellebuyck stopping 24 shots. For St. Louis in its win over Chicago, Robert Thomas notched two assists and defenseman Logan Mailloux scored a goal. Both teams have struggled for consistency this season. The Jets have alternated wins and losses over their last five games. The Blues have won just three of their last 10, with all three victories coming by a single goal. This matchup begins a critical pre-holiday stretch for both clubs. Winnipeg continues a road trip in Colorado on Friday, while St. Louis hosts the New York Rangers on Thursday before embarking on a Florida road swing. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.