It's the second game of a back-to-back between the Sabres and Devils in Czechia, and backups Devon Levi and Jake Allen are expected to start.
If you thought Friday's season opener was early, Saturday's will be even earlier.
Puck drop is at 10 a.m. ET, which means, hopefully, you're an early riser or you've already set your rosters on Friday night.
No significant lineup changes are expected other than the starting goalies with both teams going with the backups. However, the Sabres are not expected to have Nicolas Aube-Kubel in the lineup after he suffered an injury Friday.
The earlier start gives the Sabres and Devils more time to return to North America for some rest, recovering from jetlag before their actual home openers on Thursday hosting the Kings and Leafs, respectively.
Games for Saturday, Oct. 5.
* = confirmed or probable
Devon Levi, BUF at Jake Allen, NJ (10 a.m. ET)
Waiver Wire Pickups
Bowen Byram, D, BUF at NJ (46% rostered)
Owen Power, D, BUF at NJ (37% rostered)
Byram and Power were a package deal, playing together at both even strength and on PP2. Power scored the Sabres' lone goal and added three shots, two blocks and a hit while Byram provided the assist and added three blocks and a hit.
Both players provide multi-category upside. It was a little surprising to see Power generate three shots on net, which led all Sabres defensemen. It's not really a big part of his game but it's encouraging for his fantasy value going forward.
Dylan Cozens, C, BUF at NJ (44% rostered)
Cozens played 19 minutes and finished with the fourth-most ice time among Sabres forwards, providing a team-high seven shots though he didn't register a point. With this kind of effort, it shouldn't be long before Cozens scores a point. I think he has a very good chance to be a very productive player all season and should be rostered in deeper leagues.
Devon Levi, G BUF at NJ (9% rostered)
I thought the Sabres looked a little scrambled at times and the timing on their passes were off, even though they outshot the Devils. Levi was very good in the pre-season but interesting to note the two previous Global Series featured sweeps.
Jake Allen, G, NJ vs. BUF (8% rostered)
Allen had his moments with the Devils when he first joined them but faded down the stretch along with the rest of the team. Last season, he had a strong .917 SP but weak 3.07 GAA in three games against the Sabres; that just means he was able to stop a lot of pucks he faced, but the Devils were so poor at suppressing shots that they ended up giving up a lot of goals anyway.
He has tough shoes to fill following a strong performance by Jacob Markstrom but history is on his side; the Global Series in 2023 and 2022 were both sweeps.
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