Devils Looked Like Improved & Different Team in Global Series

The New Jersey Devils couldn't have asked for a better start to their 2024-25 season with two impressive wins vs. the Buffalo Sabres

Could they have drawn it up any better? There was plenty of excitement surrounding the New Jersey Devils heading into this weekend's two tilts against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague as part of the NHL's Global Series. Fortunately, they delivered on the excitement to start the 2024-25 season.

The Devils looked like the better team for most of the six periods they played this weekend, especially in yesterday's 3-1 win. And they got the results they deserved. Now, it's about building on what they started.

Markström & Allen as Advertised

Let's start with goaltending since it's been such a problem for the Devils in past years. Because it was a back-to-back, we got a look at both Jacob Markström and Jake Allen, and neither disappointed.

Markström got the nod in the first game, and he looked exactly like the goalie the Devils were expecting when they acquired him this offseason. The Devils got off to quick 1-0 and 2-0 leads in Markström's debut, but he faced a fair bit of work.

He stopped 0.61 goals above expected in the first period, and the ridiculous paddle save on Nicholas Aube-Kubel robbed him of a sure goal. It was less than 20 minutes into the season, but the Devils might not get a better save from a goalie. That's how good it was.

That wasn't the end of the night for Markström, though. The Devils sat back once they built up a 3-0 lead, and the Sabres took advantage in the third, generating 1.21 expected goals. But Markström stood tall, allowing just one goal in the third and making 30/31 saves overall.

Markström stopped 2.61 goals above expected, a number we haven't seen much of from a Devils goalie in recent years. If that's a sign of things to come, watch out.

But it wasn't just Markström who showed well this weekend. Allen got the start yesterday and looked solid, too. He didn't face as much work as Markström, making 17 saves on 18 shots, but he made some key stops while the game was close.

One of his best came early in the third period when he made a left pad save on Peyton Krebs with the game tied at 1-1. Timely saves like that are what the Devils have lacked, and soon afterward, Paul Cotter and Timo Meier scored a couple of goals to salt the game away.

Allen stopped 0.78 goals above expected and looked more like the goalie he was after last season's trade deadline. While Markström and Allen will have off-nights here and there because that's the nature of the game, they look like they'll be big-time upgrades for the Devils. And based on what we saw from the rest of the team, there could be big things in store.