The Devils finished the 2024 Global Series Czechia sweeping the Buffalo Sabres, starting this season with two incredible victories and securing four points. After an amazing performance by Jacob Markstrom and the Devils on Friday, Jake Allen and the Devils defeated the Sabres with a 3-1 score on Saturday, October 5th at the O2 Arena. Seamus Casey scored his first NHL goal to tie up the game, Jack Hughes recorded two assists, and Allen made 17 saves for New Jersey. Tage Thompson scored the lone goal for Buffalo to avoid a shutout and Devon Levi put on a show, making 34 saves for the Sabres.
Devils Lineup:
Tatar - Hischier - Mercer
Meier - Hughes - Bratt
Cotter - Haula - Noesen
MacDermid - Lazar - Bastian
Dillon - Hamilton
Siegenthaler - Kovacevic
Casey - Nemec
Allen
Markstrom
Sabres Lineup:
Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Kulich - Cozens - Quinn
Greenway - McLeod - Zucker
Malenstyn - Krebs - Lafferty
Dahlin - Jokiharju
Byram - Power
Samuelson - Clifton
Levi
Luukkonen
After a scoreless first 20 minutes, the Buffalo Sabres took the first lead of the game in the second frame. With 11:41 on the clock, Tage Thompson stuffed a loose puck under Jake Allen's pad at the right post for a 1-0 lead. Only minutes after the Sabres goal, Seamus Casey tied the game with a power-play wrister at 8:01. He had taken a pass from the left point, then sent a wrist shot into the top left corner for his first NHL goal in his second NHL game.
Paul Cotter gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead with a filthy goal on a wrist shot at 12:42 of the third period. Jack Hughes made an incredible pass near the right wing half-boards, Cotter took the pass and skated down the slot to send the puck past Devon Levi. With little time left on the clock, Timo Meier pushed it to 3-1 with 5:46 remaining with a shot from the left post. Jesper Bratt had attempted a wraparound that hit the right post, deflecting to Meier.
Seamus Casey on being welcomed into the team, the two wins against the Buffalo Sabres, and his first NHL goal: "It's just been a blast. The guys have been great, welcoming me in. It's not your normal first experience in the NHL, but it's been super fun. To get two wins, it's just been awesome. An awesome way to start," - "First goal, that was a lot of fun - The power play, we were moving around well, a couple of nice looks so they started to collapse a bit... I saw a bit of a lane and found its way home."
Paul Cotter on his goal, Jack Hughes, and bumping up in the lineup: "It's awesome. Jack made a hell of a play so I just tried to get up the ice as fast as I could. Obviously, guys like that are able to make pretty good plays, so I just tried to get open for him," - "I think I've learned in my career so far that I just got to play my game. Not change much and stay consistent. That's the biggest thing."
Notes:
- This was the Devils' second straight win to start off this season... defeating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on Friday, October 4th.
- New Jersey had to play without Ondrej Palat, who returned to the United States to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
- The Devils will return to New Jersey on Thursday at the Prudential Center against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their next game is on Saturday against the Capitals in Washington.
- Both Erik Haula and Stef Noesen recorded the assists on Seamus Casey's first NHL goal.
- After taking a hit from defenseman Brenden Dillon and sustaining a concussion in the opening 20 minutes, forward JJ Peterka did not return to the game.
*Photos soon to be added*
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