PRAGUE — Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at O2 Arena in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal, opening the NHL regular season.

Johnathan Kovacevic and Paul Cotter each had a goal and an assist in their Devils debut. Nico Hischier and Stefan Noesen each scored, and Sheldon Keefe won his first game as coach for New Jersey (1-0-0).

Owen Power scored, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 19 saves for the Sabres (0-1-0). Lindy Ruff was coaching his first regular-season game with Buffalo since being named coach on April 22.

It was the first game outside North America to begin the NHL regular season since 2022, when the Nashville Predators won 4-1 against the San Jose Sharks at O2 Arena.

Noesen, who signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, gave the Devils a 1-0 lead on a snap shot from the slot at 8:39 of the first period. He took a pass from Kovacevic from the top of the right face-off circle off a turnover by Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.

Kovacevic made it 2-0 on a slap shot from the point that deflected off a stick and into the top left corner at 15:38 of the first. Kovacevic was acquired in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens on June 30 for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Markstrom kept it at 2-0 1:19 later when he denied Nicholas Aube-Kubel with the paddle of his stick while lunging to his left at 16:57 off a shot at the left post. Acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on June 19, Markstrom made seven saves in the first period.

Hischier made it 3-0 at 3:29 of the second period off a wrist shot from the high slot. Nathan Bastian took a loose puck behind the Sabres net before passing to the Devils captain.

Power cut it to 3-1 at 10:07 of the third period when he scored off a wrist shot from the bottom of the right face-off circle after collecting a pass from behind the net by Jason Zucker.

Cotter, acquired by the Devils in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 29, scored an empty-net goal at 17:28 for the 4-1 final.

The Devils and Sabres will play here again Saturday (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B) before returning to North America.

Prior to the opening face-off, there was an emotional 13-second moment of silence for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. The Gaudreau brothers were struck by a car and killed while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey on Aug. 30. The No. 13 represented the jersey number Johnny Gaudreau wore as a member of the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Additionally, former NHL forward Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial puck after a video tribute and rousing ovation from his home country. Jagr was named among the 100 Greatest NHL Players during the League’s Centennial celebration in 2017 and is the only player born outside North America to win the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s leading scorer at least five times.