Pavel Zacha and the Bruins Are About to Play the Most Important Game That Doesn't Matter

The Boston Bruins clinched their playoff ticket on Saturday, and then immediately reminded everyone why you don't sleepwalk into the postseason. After a brutal 0-3-2 skid, Boston (44-27-10, 98 points) snapped the funk with a 3-2 win at Columbus on Sunday and now has one final chance to lock down the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference when they host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

This is the kind of game that looks meaningless on paper but feels urgent when you're a player trying to build momentum heading into May. Coach Marco Sturm gets it. "I think it was just important to go back to winning, to feel good again," he said after Sunday's victory. "I think it's very important for us to go into the playoffs with some positive momentum. Whatever happens happens, who we're going to play, it really doesn't matter. We wanted to win (Sunday) and we want to win (Tuesday)."

Resting Up With an Eye Toward Next Round

The Bruins smartly kept their heavyweights fresh on Sunday. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy, 30-goal scorer Pavel Zacha, and goaltender Jeremy Swayman all sat out the Columbus game as Boston finished a back-to-back weekend grind. But here's the story that mattered: 2025 first-round draft pick James Hagens made his NHL debut and picked up his first point at just 19 years old. He skated alongside 21-year-old Fraser Minten and got a late-game shift to protect the lead when Mark Kastelic buried the game-winner.

"I thought he was good. I thought the whole line was great," Sturm said. "They used their speed, they were not afraid to make plays, they made a lot of good decisions." Expect Hagens back in the lineup Tuesday when Boston rolls out a regular roster.

Pastrnak Chasing a Fifth Straight Milestone

David Pastrnak is on a nine-game goal drought, but he's still hunting a pair of career marks. One more goal gets him to 30 for the fifth consecutive season. One more point brings him to his fourth straight 100-point campaign. Those are the kinds of personal achievements that feel small in April but look pretty on a resume come July.

The Devils arrive in Boston riding back-to-back wins, including a 5-2 victory over Detroit on Saturday that actually clinched the Bruins' return to the playoffs. Sunday brought another statement: a 4-3 overtime win at Ottawa with short-handed goals and a power-play game-winner from Nico Hischier. Ottawa dropped to the second wild-card spot as a result. Hischier notched three points in that win and could reach the 200-goal plateau for his career with one more goal Tuesday.

"The game didn't matter, but it matters," Hischier said. "It's very important for us to finish the season strong." Coach Sheldon Keefe feels the same way, frustrated that New Jersey won't have more home playoff games. "As much as I am thrilled for how it worked out (Sunday), I'm more so disappointed in where we're at," he said.

Puck drops Tuesday night. This one matters more than it should.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.