Ondrej Palat Misses NHL Games Due to Personal Reasons

Ondrej Palat's Absence from NHL Games

PRAGUE -- Ondrej Palat did not participate in the NHL games for the New Jersey Devils against the Buffalo Sabres in the second game of the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia. His absence is due to personal reasons related to the birth of his second child. Initially, Palat had one shot on goal during the prior game, contributing to a 4-1 victory against Buffalo.

Changes in the Lineup

With Palat away from the O2 Arena, Kurtis MacDermid replaced him in the lineup. Palat, originally from Frydek-Mistek, Czechia, is known as the only Czech-born player on the Devils roster.

Czech Connections

The Sabres capitalized on the situation by including a Czech-born player in their lineup, Jiri Kulich, who skated in warmups as the second-line forward with Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn. Kulich had recently had a healthy scratch in the previous game.

Additionally, Peyton Krebs also made his way back into the game after being healthy scratched. He played center on the fourth line with Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn as replacements on the team.

Goalies in Action

Jake Allen took over goaltending duties for the Devils, while Devon Levi stepped in for the Sabres. The previous game saw both serve as backups.