As the final horn sounded early Saturday evening in Detroit, the Boston Bruins officially punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after the New Jersey Devils rallied for a 5-3 win. After missing it last season, returning under first-year coach Marco Sturm is a surprise in what is the first year of a retool.
When the Devils finished off the third-period rally, that made it more likely that Bruins prospect James Hagens was going to make his NHL debut on Sunday night in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. He did, and it was a good one.
The former Boston College standout picked up an assist on a second-period Henri Jokiharju goal with 18 seconds left that gave Boston a 2-1 lead at the time in a what turned into a 3-2 victory. After the game, the reviews for Hagens were good ones, even from head coach Marco Sturm. On Monday morning, the Black and Gold were at the TD Garden for an optional skate. Sturm met with the media and gave an update on his lineup for Tuesday night's regular-season final at home against the New Jersey Devils.
Bruins coach Marco Sturm announces James Hagens will make his hoem debut on Tuesday night
According to Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe, Sturm said that Hagens will make his Garden debut on Tuesday night. Sturm also said that some key players who were not in the lineup against the Blue Jackets would play against New Jersey. One point ahead of the Ottawa Senators for the first wild-card spot, a Boston win matches them up against the Atlantic Division winner in the first round of the playoffs. A loss in any fashion, coupled with an Ottawa win on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, matches the Bruins up with Carolina.
Hagens played 13:08 in time on ice against Columbus on 19 shifts and an assist. He looked like he belonged and looked like someone who should be in the lineup next weekend when the postseason begins.
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