The Boston Bruins closed out the regular season with a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night at the TD Garden. The win secured the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot ahead of the Ottawa Senators and first-round matchup with the Buffalo Sabres.
Four goals in the first period were all Marco Sturm's club needed to collect their 99th and 100th points in the standings. Less than a minute into the game, Morgan Geekie opened the scoring for Boston with his 39th goal. David Pastrnak picked up an assist on the play for his 100th point of the season.
It's the fourth straight season that Pastrnak has eclipsed the 100-point plateau, and he finished the season with 71 assists. Pastrnak joined an elite franchise company with his fourth straight 100-point season. Bobby Orr did it six times, and Phil Esposito did it five times. If he stays healthy the next couple of seasons, there could be a new franchise leader in the not-too-distant future.
That's some elite company 💯 pic.twitter.com/7lcgDyucMm
— x - Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 15, 2026
James Hagens likes Bruins culture
It has been a week since the Bruins officially signed James Hagens to his entry-level contract. He waited one game to make his NHL debut, but in the last two games, the seventh overall pick in last June's Entry Draft proved he belongs. If there is one thing that he has taken away, it's the culture in the locker room.
“Yeah, definitely,'' said Hagens. "It's a big reason why we're here today in this spot to be in playoffs. You see how good all the guys get along with each other. It just feels like a winning culture to be able to step in, to feel so welcome. I'm super grateful for it.”
Paired on the "kid line" with Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten, they have played well in two games. We'll see if they stick together beginning this weekend in the postseason.
Rick Bowness goes bananas after loss to Capitals
Over the last couple of weeks of the regular season, the Bruins dealt the Columbus Blue Jackets two losses in Ohio that were devastating to their playoff chances. On March 29, Columbus took a 3-0 lead into the third period. The Bruins scored three goals, including the game-tying goal from Pavel Zacha with 11 seconds left.
Viktor Arvidsson went on to score in the shootout for a 4-3 win. This past Sunday, the Black and Gold all but ended the Blue Jackets' playoff hopes with a 3-2 win with their undermanned lineup. After a season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals, 2-1, on Tuesday night, interim coach Rick Bowness was not a happy camper.
“And you know what? All you gotta do is look at the stat sheet,” Bowness said. “Three hits. 23 giveaways. I don’t know if I’m back. But if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys. They don’t care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that? Should have done this about a month ago, but this is why we are where we are. This is why we’re out of the playoffs. That kind of effort. Losing, you have to hate losing.
“I don’t care if it’s a meaningless game. I don’t care. Show up and compete. Three hits, 23 giveaways. What else you wanna know?”
Yikes. It's going to be a long offseason in Columbus and changes are likely coming. Including behind the bench.
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