Devils 4, Sabres 1: New kids on the block

Several newcomers played pivotal roles en route to an impressive season opening win.

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A few notes following New Jersey’s 4-1 victory over Buffalo:

Newcomers stole the show

New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald was a busy man this past summer, adding a plethora of new pieces to the strong core already in place.

Given the sheer volume of players acquired, it’s only natural a couple made an impact in a 4-1 win. It was much more than a couple.

Seemingly every player Fitzgerald prioritized during the off-season stood out in a positive light.

Stefan Noesen forechecked his tail off all game long, helped keep a clean sheet on the penalty kill, and scored the game's opening goal.

Johnathan Kovacevic played top-4 minutes due to injuries on the backend. He sure made the most of them, scoring a goal while picking up the primary assist on Noesen’s early in the game.

Paul Cotter posted a 70 xGF%, picked up an assist at 5v5, and sealed the game with an empty-netter late.

Brenden Dillon played rock-solid hockey alongside Dougie Hamilton on the top pairing. He helped the Devils control play, managing a 56 xGF% in a game most of his ice came sitting on a lead. He was physical, deployed as an ace on the PK, and logged more ice than anybody on the Devils across all situations.

And how about Jacob Markstrom? He stopped 30 of the 31 shots he faced and made a save you’ll see on highlight reels for the entire season. He also looked very much in control and sure of himself from start to finish. There wasn’t a moment where his play gave food for thought the lead might not be safe.

One game is one game but, man, Fitzgerald must be thrilled with the early returns of his investments.

A Captain’s performance