3 Takeaways: Sabres Start Sloppy in First Game Against Devils in Prague

The Buffalo Sabres had renewed hope heading into the season with a new coach, new players, and a new-found mentality. Their preseason success didn’t carry over into game one, however. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Sabres 4-1 in Prague, Czechia to open the 2024-2025 NHL regular season.

The Devils were quick on the puck right from the start of the game, and first-period goals by newcomers Stefan Noesen and Johnathan Kovacevic gave New Jersey an early lead over the Sabres. Team captain Nico Hischier scored the only goal in the second, putting Buffalo in a hole that proved too steep to climb out of.

Jacob Markstrom was strong in net for the Devils, and it took his one fumble of the night for the Sabres to get on the board. Owen Power cashed in as he crept down low on the off wing as the Sabres recovered a rebound and worked it around the net.

The Sabres pulled Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen around the three-minute mark down two goals but abruptly turned the puck over. Paul Cotter was the beneficiary, walking the puck into the empty net.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Sabres season opener in Prague:

Thompson Line Struggles

General manager Kevyn Adams revamped the bottom-six forward group in the offseason but did not touch the top six. Instead, he vocalized his confidence in bounce-back scoring seasons from his top forwards.

JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch are a big part of the reinstilled confidence, but they played poorly on Friday. They were on the ice for three goals against, including the empty netter. Peterka did get the primary assist on Power’s goal, showing a flash of the quick-strike scoring the line can provide.

Head coach Lindy Ruff decided to use the forwards against New Jersey’s top players, and they got caved in defensively. The goal should be playing Buffalo’s top line in as many offensive situations as possible, but the healthy dose of offensive zone faceoffs didn’t help at all.

The trio should still end up as Buffalo’s top producers throughout the regular season, but they were out of sync in a rough season debut.

Related: How Peterka, Thompson, Tuch Compare to Other NHL Top Lines

Top Powerplay Troubles

The new-look powerplay looked good for Buffalo, but it was the second unit, not the first, that impressed. Led by Dylan Cozens, he and Zach Benson, Jason Zucker, Bowen Byram, and Owen Power established zone time and moved the puck well. Their shooting mentality forced Markstrom to make some quality saves.

Peterka, Thompson, Tuch, Jack Quinn, and Rasmus Dahlin weren’t as successful, barely getting set up in the attacking zone. Perhaps Dahlin’s absence throughout training camp has the unit still figuring things out, but their performance was not up to par.

Sabres Powerplay: How Seth Appert Can Help the Sabres Powerplay

Sabres Injuries

At times throughout the game, Tage Thompson, Jordan Greenway, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel all left the bench. Thompson returned quickly after missing one shift, and Greenway also returned. Aube-Kubel left the game in the second period and did not return, suggesting Peyton Krebs may get an opportunity tomorrow in Buffalo’s rematch versus New Jersey.

Czech natives Jiri Kulich and Lukas Rousek are the other reserve forwards with the Sabres in Prague. The storyline for either playing in front of their home fans would hit harder, but Krebs is undoubtedly next up on the depth chart.

What’s Next

The Sabres and Devils face off again tomorrow in Prague to cap off the NHL Global Series. It’s a 4 pm local start time in Czechia, meaning the game will begin at 10 am ET in Buffalo. It’s a quick turnaround that could lead to some quick revenge for Ruff’s Sabres.

For the Devils perspective, check out New Jersey Hockey Now.