The Devils and Prague took center stage in the hockey world. The two games – played at O2 Arena – featured fans from across the globe, including the United States, England, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Mexico and even from as far as Australia. Thousands of Devils fans speaking different languages from different backgrounds, from different cultures, from different time zones, coalesced in Prague, united by their Black and Red markings and the insignia of the Devils logo.
“I’m sitting with (another Devils fan) I’ve never met before (at the game),” said Matilda Sampaio, who is from London. “But I know I’m going to have the best time, because they’ll have that same passion, and it makes the experience so much better when you have someone to share it with.”
“(There are people) who can’t even speak English but yell ‘Let’s go Devils!’ when you see them,” said Garden State native and Devils fan Jon Stanton.
A crowd of 16,931 fans, predominantly those of the Devils' partisanship, packed into the venue for the opening tilt. In the opening minutes a familiar hymn was heard as a “Let’s go Devils!” chant broke out. It took just 8:39 minutes from puck drop before Stefan Noesen broke out the scoring on the NHL season.
The familiar and cacophonous sound of Gaslight Anthem’s “Howl” reverberated throughout the bowl. The familiar and energetic voice of Devils public address announcer Adam Hamway, who is acting PA in Prague, made the goal call over the speakers.
From Jersey to Czechia.
The two games, played on Friday and Saturday, were merely the culmination of a weeklong of events for the team. Aside from all the pomp and circumstance, this was still a road trip with ramifications for the regular-season standings. That was the attitude the team had before departure.
Palat’s letter to Czechia: “I’m coming back on business with some friends from Jersey whom you’ve never met. I can’t wait to introduce you.”
The business trip began late night last Sunday when the Devils players, coaches and staff boarded a flight at 8 p.m. The overnight seven-and-a-half-hour airborne haul brought the club over the Atlantic Ocean, landing safely on the European continent.
From Jersey to Czechia.
The Devils stepped off the plane Monday morning fighting the sun and a time zone shift. They boarded a bus that took them straight to O2 Arena. After wiping the crust of night from their eyes, the players put on their gear and boarded another bus that would take them yawning to a separate practice facility for their first intercontinental on-ice work of the trip.
“Personally, I felt awful after that flight, but I was so excited that we had a practice because I feel much better now,” Slovak-born Tomas Tatar said after practice. “We arrived, we had a practice. I think that helps you stabilize more for this current time zone. I honestly feel much better now.”
The rest of the week included a few more practices and tours around the city of Prague, taking in the architecture (Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Clock Tower), drinking Czech beer (Pilsner) and eating quality Czech food (goulash, pork knee, svíčková). Palat, the acting ambassador, took the team out for a night of dinner and bonding.
On Thursday, the eve of opening the season, the Devils held their final practice of the week and first at O2 Arena. The Devils held four practice sessions in three different venues in two different continents in two different countries and in two different times zones in a five-day span. It would have been understandable if energy levels had been sagging.
But Thursday’s practice provided a big boost from some little people. The lower section of seats was filled with several youth hockey clubs that watched the practice and cheered from the stands.
“I remember when I was a kid and I got to go to an NHL practice,” center Jack Hughes recalled. “It’s really special.”
It was most special though for Palat. Born in Frydek-Mistek, a town three-and-a-half hours from Prague, Palat has many memories of his own childhood in Czechia playing youth hockey. He knows the power of having hockey heroes and those impressionable experiences. He made sure to give out sticks, pucks and sign anything that was handed to him by the youths.
“I remember when I was a kid and someone threw me a puck, I was excited,” Palat recalled of his own youth. “And I had the puck above my bed. It’s just little things like that that make it special for the kids.”
Palat’s letter to Czechia: “As I sit here, all I can think about is skating with my friends on those frozen ponds pretending to be Patrik Elias or Jaromir Jagr until it was too dark outside to see the puck.”
Palat imagined he was Elias as a kid. But he didn’t have to imagine his presence in the locker room pregame. There stood Elias, the former Devil great whose No. 26 hangs retired in the Prudential Center, in the center of the room.
“Alright gentlemen,” the Czech-born Elias said to get the room’s attention. “First of all, I’m honored and privileged to be standing in front of you here giving you guys the starting lineup for the new NHL season in my home country, Prague.”
He added: “This team is due for great things this year. I believe in you, and this is the time. The time is right now.”
Shortly after, it was time to take the ice for the game. Palat skated to center face-off dot for the ceremonial puck drop, which happened to be executed by his other childhood hero and Czech hockey legend Jaromir Jagr. The national anthems of the United States and Czechia were sung before the business began.
On the ice, the Devils took care of business.
New Jersey was triumphant, 4-1, on Friday’s opening night, thanks to some newcomers. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 of 31 shots, including a highlight reel save with his paddle. Newcomer Noesen (technically returning but new from the previous year) scored the game’s opening goal. Newcomer Paul Cotter scored an empty-net goal to seal the win while adding an assist for a two-point night.
Newcomer Johnathan Kovacevic assisted on the opening goal and scored the game-winner for a two-point night. He was named the player of the game and received a Rolex watch from Jagr, of all people, after the game. Not a bad debut.
“The newcomers had their fingerprints all over this one,” said head coach Sheldon Keefe, another newcomer that won his first game behind the bench for the team.
The Devils followed up the victory in Game 1 with a victory in Game 2 Saturday. This time the score was 3-1. And again, it was another new face contributing.
Cotter added his second goal in as many games, while Timo Meier got his first of the year in the win. But it was the neophyte defenseman Seamus Casey that was named as player of the game, and thus receiving a Rolex of his own – this time handed to him by Elias. Casey, playing in his second NHL game, scored his first NHL goal (on the power play).
