NHL Global Series: Devils sweep Sabres in Prague
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
To open the 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) season, the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres traveled to Prague, Czechia, on Friday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5, to face off on a global stage. The 2024 Global Series marks 11 seasons that the NHL has traveled to Europe to play regular-season games. These types of games allow European fans to experience the excitement and electricity of an NHL game and cheer on their favorite teams beyond a television broadcast. I bet, however, that the Sabres fans in Europe were less than pleased with Buffalo's performance in these historic games. The Devils swept the Sabres in this series, winning 4-1 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday.
During the season opener, Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who they acquired from a trade with the Calgary Flames in June. He made 30 saves, proving to be a beacon of hope for the Devils’ former goaltending woes. Newcomer Devils forward Paul Cotter scored, defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic scored, center and captain Nico Hischier scored, and forward Stefan Noesen scored, earning New Jersey’s new head coach Sheldon Keefe his first win as a Devil. This opening game was also rookie defenseman Seamus Casey’s debut in the NHL, with two hits and one blocked shot in his 13 minutes and 14 seconds of ice time. Casey definitely could help out the Devils’ struggling blue line with defensemen Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce, who are currently injured.
The success could not be shared for the Sabres, though, with a lone goal scored by defenseman Owen Power, keeping them from a complete shutout. Sabres captain and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said, "They scored on their chances and took advantage of their chances. We had a couple early [chances] too, so the start could have gone either way, but it's a good learning lesson for us. We've just got to continue to build. We've got some stuff to work on." Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 19 saves for the Sabres, leaving ex-Devils head coach and new Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff with a sour start to this new chapter of his coaching career.
On Saturday, the Devils completed their sweep with a 4-1 win. The Devils had goals from Paul Cotter, right-wing Timo Meier, Seamus Casey—who scored his first NHL goal—and center Jack Hughes—fresh off an injury last season—had two assists. Casey spoke on his NHL debut experience and said, "This whole week has been a blast, The guys have just been great, welcoming me in. I talked about it before...it's not your normal first experience in the NHL, but it's been super fun, and to get two wins has just been awesome. It was an awesome way to start right."
Once again, the Sabres did not have as much success as the Devils, and once again, a lonesome goal was scored by center Tage Thompson. After the loss, Thompson said, "You've got to give them credit, they played hard. They didn't make it easy on us. We just got to find a way to bear down and get another one. For the most part, one goal is not going to win you a game. We know that and we've got to find a way to score more." The Sabres also lost forward JJ Peterka to a concussion in the first period after Devils’ defenseman Brendan Dillon landed a hit—Peterka did not return for the rest of the game.
On the global stage, the Devils showcased their potential with strong performances from their key players and a promising debut from rookie Seamus Casey, signaling a hopeful outlook for the season ahead. The Sabres faced setbacks, not only in the scores of the games but also in injuries affecting their lineup. As the season progresses, both teams will need to take the experiences from the Global Series and put them towards their gameplay. For the Devils, it’s about maintaining momentum and building on their success, while the Sabres must regroup and refine their strategies to turn the tide in their favor.