The Devils opened the NHL season with a 4-1 win over the Sabres in Prague. Cotter tallied two points for New Jersey, while Stefan Noesen scored the league's first goal of the year.
4-1 on Friday in the NHL regular-season opener that was played in the capital of Czechia ."Ultimately, the group just pulled together and wanted to compete at the high level tonight, and I think they got after it right from the start," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said."From the opening face off we were all over the net within 10 seconds."The teams' series of games on Friday and Saturday is part of the NHL global series.
This is the 11th season the NHL has played in Europe as part of its efforts to grow the fan base in hockey-mad countries like Czechia, Sweden, Finland and others. The Sabres hope to end a 13-season playoff drought this year. Coach Lindy Ruff, who guided them to their last postseason in 2011, is back after he was fired by New Jersey. During his previous stint from 1997-2012, Buffalo advanced eight times and reached the Stanley Cup final in 1999.
"The start was probably the biggest difference in the hockey game," Ruff said."They were a step faster to loose pucks, they won more 50-50 battles early on and I thought that was the difference in the game."Devils: After failing to make the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 seasons, New Jersey had valuable contributions from newcomers.
"He's come here for a reason, he wants to win," Keefe said."But also he's an incredible person, a great character and personality."
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