If you’re checking your phone or asking around to find out what was the score of the blues game, you likely saw a result that made St. Louis fans breathe a massive sigh of relief. On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the St. Louis Blues absolutely shut down the Carolina Hurricanes with a crisp 3-0 victory.
It wasn't just a win. It was a statement. Coming into that game at Enterprise Center, the vibes were, frankly, pretty low. The team had been stuck in a three-game rut, dropping matchups to Chicago, Utah, and Vegas. People were starting to wonder if the wheels were coming off the mid-season wagon.
But then Joel Hofer happened.
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Hofer Stands Tall in the Crease
Hofer was the undisputed star of the show. He turned away all 33 shots he faced, earning his fourth shutout of the 2025-26 season. It’s kinda wild to think that his last shutout was back in mid-December, so he was definitely due for a night where the net felt like it was covered in plywood.
The Hurricanes are a high-volume shooting team. They pepper the goalie from everywhere. Watching Hofer track the puck through traffic was honestly impressive. He didn't look shaky or nervous despite the team's recent losing streak. He just looked... solid.
The Goals: Bjugstad, Dvorsky, and Snuggerud
The offense didn't just sit back and watch Hofer do all the work, though. They finally got some pucks to the back of the net after a few games of struggling to finish.
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- Nick Bjugstad got things moving with a short-handed goal. Getting a "shorty" is always a massive momentum swinger, and doing it against a team as disciplined as Carolina is no small feat.
- Dalibor Dvorsky kept his rookie-year momentum going by burying one in the second period. The kid has been a bright spot in an otherwise streaky season for St. Louis.
- Jimmy Snuggerud put the icing on the cake with a power-play goal (PPG) that basically signaled "game over" to the Carolina bench.
It was a balanced attack. You love to see the scoring spread out across different units, especially with the news that’s been hovering over the team lately regarding injuries.
The Robert Thomas Situation
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. If you were looking for what was the score of the blues game because you noticed a certain star player was missing, you’re right to be concerned. On Thursday, January 15, the team officially placed Robert Thomas on Injured Reserve (IR).
Thomas has been the engine of this offense. He’s got 33 points in 42 games, and losing him to a lower-body injury for at least two weeks is a gut punch. He hasn't played since the Vegas game on January 10, which explains why he was missing from the lineup during the win against Carolina.
Basically, the Blues are going to have to learn how to win without their top playmaker for a while. The win over the Canes proves they can do it, but doing it consistently over a two-week stretch against the NHL's elite is a different story.
What’s Coming Up Next?
The Blues don't have much time to celebrate that shutout. If you're reading this on January 15, the team is currently preparing for a heavy-hitter to come into town.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning are scheduled to play at Enterprise Center on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM CST.
Tampa Bay is currently sitting near the top of the Atlantic Division with a 29-13-3 record. They’re coming off a shootout win against Pittsburgh and they feature guys like Nikita Kucherov who can ruin a goalie's night in a heartbeat.
Honestly, the Blues are going to need another "Hofer-level" performance if they want to keep the momentum going without Robert Thomas. The Lightning’s power play is no joke, and St. Louis has had some issues with discipline lately, racking up 28 penalty minutes in their recent loss to Utah.
Actionable Takeaways for Blues Fans
If you're following the team through this stretch, keep an eye on these three things:
- Goaltending Rotation: Watch to see if Coach Jim Montgomery sticks with the "hot hand" in Hofer or goes back to Jordan Binnington for the Tampa game. In a back-to-back or high-pressure situation, the choice at the crease tells you everything about the coach's confidence level.
- The Power Play Adjustments: Without Robert Thomas feeding passes from the half-wall, the power play (which Snuggerud converted on Tuesday) needs a new identity. Look for Pavel Buchnevich or Jordan Kyrou to take on more of the puck-carrying duties.
- Secondary Scoring: Watch Dalibor Dvorsky. The rookie is being thrust into a much bigger role with the IR news. If he keeps scoring, the Blues might survive this injury stint without dropping too far in the standings.
Knowing what was the score of the blues game is just the start—the real story is whether this team can turn a single shutout win into a legitimate mid-January run while their best player is in the trainer's room. Tune in Friday night on FanDuel Sports Network Midwest to see if they can handle the Lightning.
Next Steps:
Check the official NHL injury report on Friday morning to see if there are any updates on the defensive pairings before the Tampa Bay puck drop. You can also monitor the Blues' social media for the morning skate lines to see who is filling Robert Thomas's spot on the top power-play unit.