In the heart of Prague, the New Jersey Devils made a statement by sweeping their season-opening series against the Buffalo Sabres with a 3-1 victory on Saturday. Paul Cotter, one of the team’s newest additions, proved to be a game-changer, scoring his second goal in as many days and adding an assist to his tally.
The Devils’ defense shone bright, with Seamus Casey and Timo Meier finding the back of the net, while Jack Hughes provided two crucial assists. The team’s dominance was evident in their 37-18 shot advantage over the Sabres.
Buffalo’s Tage Thompson briefly gave his team hope by scoring in the second period, but Casey quickly equalized with a power-play goal in his second NHL game. In the final period, Hughes set up Cotter with a precise cross-ice pass, allowing him to score the winning goal.
Goalie Jake Allen made 17 saves for the Devils, while Devon Levi stopped 34 shots for the Sabres. The game was not without its casualties, as Buffalo’s JJ Peterka suffered an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return.
In a heartwarming moment, Czech forward Ondrej Palat missed the game to attend the birth of his second child in America. Meanwhile, the Devils’ defense, which struggled last season, looked solid with goalies Jacob Markstrom and Allen, despite missing top-six defensemen Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce.
The Sabres, who struggled on the power play last season, failed to capitalize on their opportunities, wasting two chances on Saturday and four on Friday. The NHL’s global series will continue on November 1-2 with games in Tampere, Finland, featuring the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers against the Dallas Stars.
Next up, the Sabres will host the Los Angeles Kings, while the Devils will face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
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