Devils Vs Bruins: Boston Chases Top Wild Card In Season Finale
The devils vs bruins matchup lands Tuesday night at TD Garden with Boston closing the regular season against New Jersey in a 7 p. m. ET puck drop. The Bruins have already locked up a postseason berth, but they can still clinch the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a win.
That makes this final game more than a formality. Boston enters the night looking to carry momentum into the playoffs, while head coach Marco Sturm says the Bruins want to finish on a high note and keep the group sharp.
Boston puts the postseason on the line
Swayman will start in net for Boston, giving the Bruins their planned look in goal for the regular-season finale. Sturm said the team wants to win the game and believes momentum matters, especially with several younger players headed into their first playoff experience.
James Hagens is set to make his TD Garden debut after skating in his first NHL game on Sunday. He had an assist in Boston’s 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he is expected to skate on the third line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov.
Boston may still have a few lineup questions, but Sturm said he intends to “try to play the full lineup” against New Jersey. Charlie McAvoy, Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson and Hampus Lindholm sat out on Sunday to rest, though the expectation now is that most regulars will be back for the devils vs bruins game.
Sturm wants momentum, not a cautious finish
“We want to win this game. I think that’s pretty clear for us, ” Sturm said. “I do believe you need a little bit of momentum going in to feel good. ” He added that the Bruins still have a young roster in places, with players who have never appeared in a playoff game before, making the final tune-up important.
Mark Kastelic said the mood inside the room is strong after Boston’s recent results. He had two points on Sunday in Columbus, reached the 10-goal mark for the first time in his career, and is preparing for his first NHL playoff run.
“I’m just very excited, ” Kastelic said. “I think just the energy and the room this year has been unbelievable. Just made it a blast to come to work every day. ”
What the finale means for Boston
If Boston wins, the Bruins will secure the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. That would further shape the playoff picture and give the club a cleaner path into the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a season finale with real stakes.
The devils vs bruins game also closes a regular season in which Boston enters play with a 44-27-10 record. It is the last stop before the playoff bracket begins to take form, and the Bruins are treating it like a game they need to win, not simply one they have to play.
For Boston, the next step is clear: finish strong against New Jersey, protect the momentum, and move into the playoffs with the kind of energy Sturm says can matter once the games become do-or-die. The devils vs bruins matchup now carries both seeding pressure and a final chance to set the tone.
