The New Jersey Devils have got off to an outstanding start to the 2023-24 National Hockey League season. After beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic on Friday, the Devils beat the Sabres again 3-1 on Saturday, to sweep the two-game series in Europe to begin the 2024-25 NHL season.
Who contributed to the Devils on Saturday?
While it was the Devils role players who led the team offensively on Friday, we saw excellence from two of the Devils start players on Saturday. Devils center Jack Hughes led the team in scoring with two points (two assists), while Timo Meier of Herisau, Switzerland also had a goal and led his team with eight shots on goal.
Great start for Paul Cotter
Devils centre Paul Cotter of Canton, Michigan now has two goals in two games. In Friday’s regular season opener, he had a multi-point game (one goal and one assist). His goal was an empty netter from Nathan Bastian of Kitchener, Ontario with two minutes and 32 seconds left in the third period to close out the scoring. Cotter then scored the game-winner from Hughes on Saturday at 7:18 of the final frame.
Who else scored for the Devils on Saturday?
Defenseman Seamus Casey of Miami, Florida scored the Devils opening goal of the game on the power-play as Erik Haula of Pori, Finland and Stefan Noesen of Plano, Texas had the assists. Florida is historically not known for producing NHL talent, and the fact that the Devils have two Florida born players in Hughes and Casey is noteworthy.
Who starred for the Devils in net?
After Jacob Markstrom of Gavle, Sweden dazzled in between the pipes on Friday, it was Jake Allen’s turn on Saturday. The native of Fredericton, New Brunswick made 17 saves on 18 shots in the Devils’s win by two goals.
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