Devils Open Season in Prague vs. Buffalo | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (0-0-0) VS. BUFFALO SABRES (0-0-0)

The Devils kick off the 2024-25 season at O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia against the Buffalo Sabres.

You can watch the game on MSGSN or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Read more in today's Game Preview. Check back for lineup updates, videos and more.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

Make sure to check back after morning skate (approximately 6:00 AM ET) for the latest updated information for today's game.

THE SCOOP

The Devils and Sabres both had very untraditional preseason schedules as a result of their playing overseas and it came with very different results. The schedules had a mix of the team having to cobble together their top lineup quickly to play four games in North America before heading overseas followed by the team's remaining AHL players and prospects making up the remainder.

For New Jersey, they lost all four of those preseason games while the Sabres won all four of theirs. Buffalo also played an exhibition game against the Munich Red Bulls and won that game as well, by a score of 5-0.

JJ Peterka led the way for the Sabres with three goals and five points in two preseason games. Three others, including Henri Jokiharju, had four points. Nico Hischier had two goals and three points in three games to lead the Devils group that's in Prague in scoring in the preseason. Jesper Bratt was first in the assist category with a pair.

INJURIES

Devils: Pesce (leg), L. Hughes (shoulder)

Sabres: Johnson (lower body)

23-24 REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Oct. 27 vs. Buffalo (W, 5-4)
• Nov. 25 vs. Buffalo (W, 7-2)
• Mar. 29 at Buffalo (L, 2-5)

GAME NOTES

• This will be the 43rd NHL regular season game played overseas. It's also the third time that the NHL season has started in Prague.
• Overall, Prague has hosted seven NHL regular season games. After this week's Global Series, that number will increase to nine which would put Prague behind only Stockholm, Sweden which has hosted 16.
• The head coach of the Sabres is a familiar face to Devils fans, that being Lindy Ruff. He had a 128-124-28 record as bench boss in New Jersey. In 2022-23, he led the Devils to their best season ever with a record of 52-22-8 for 112 points.
• Ruff returns to Buffalo, where he had previously had a record of 571-432-78 through 15 seasons. Ruff also led the Sabres to their most successful regular season ever in 2006–07 with a 53–22–7 record for a total of 113 points.