Joel Hofer wanted nothing to do with this game.
The St. Louis Blues' backup goalie had watched starter Jordan Binnington allow seven goals to the Chicago Blackhawks. He didn't want any of that smoke.
So in the third period Wednesday night, when the Blues coaching staff went to send Hofer into the game, he was nowhere to be found.
A television camera actually spotted Hofer hiding down in the hallway leading to the bench.
— BlackhawksFocus (@FocusBlackhawks) January 8, 2026
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Another fascinating aspect: Binnington didn't want to come out.
A different camera replay showed Binnington tapping on his own chest as if to say, "This is my game to finish."
It's not clear whether the goalies were in sync here or if they just coincidentally were working in tandem.
Either way, have you ever seen a player just hide down the hallway to avoid playing? It's an incredible meme, if nothing else.
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