James Hagens exits Bruins win over Penguins with damage

“I didn’t have an opportunity to see him. Hopefully he will probably be OK.”

James Hagens left Thursday’s win after taking a cross test to the again. AP Picture/Julio Cortez

The Boston Bruins took care of enterprise Thursday night time in Pittsburgh, incomes their third-straight win by way of a 6-2 victory over the Penguins.

It was an encouraging efficiency in opposition to a laboring Pens staff, with eight of Boston’s 12 forwards recording at the very least some extent — together with goal-scorers from all 4 of the staff’s traces.

Pavel Zacha lit the lamp twice and Morgan Geekie buried his third objective in as many video games, whereas Mark Kastelic, Elias Lindholm, and Fraser Minten additionally discovered the again of the web. Michael DiPietro stopped 16 of 18 photographs.

Nevertheless it wasn’t all excellent news for the Bruins on Thursday, as rookie James Hagens exited early within the third interval with an damage.

The 20-year-old Bruins ahead suffered his damage whereas driving to the web in opposition to Pens goalie Artūrs Šilovs — initially slipping previous Pittsburgh defenseman Samuel Girard with the puck on his stick.

After gliding round Girard, Hagens took a cross-check from the blueliner proper in his decrease again — proper the place there may be little padding.

Hagens misplaced management of the puck and was in clear discomfort, at one level dropping to a knee on the ice earlier than lastly making it again to Boston’s bench.

After initially being labored on by the Bruins’ coaching employees on the bench, a grimacing Hagens gingerly made his means down the tunnel and didn’t return for the remainder of the night time. The younger ahead completed the sport with 11:57 of ice time, touchdown 4 photographs on objective.

Talking postgame, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm didn’t have an replace on Hagens.

“I didn’t truly see it. So we’ll see tomorrow,” Sturm mentioned of Hagens. “I didn’t have an opportunity to see him. Hopefully he will probably be OK.”

The Bruins will probably be off on Friday, so an replace possible received’t come till Saturday, when the staff returns to observe at Warrior Ice Enviornment.

It’s a regarding improvement for each the Bruins and Hagens, who has emerged as a official affect participant for Boston in his first full yr within the NHL ranks.

The 2025 first-round decide is presently tied with Vegas ahead Trevor Connelly for essentially the most factors (12) amongst rookies thus far this yr, having scored six targets and added six helpers by means of 17 video games.

Hagens has been a serious contributor on Boston’s third line subsequent to Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittelstadt — outscoring opponents, 8-3, over 121:01 of 5-on-5 reps collectively.

If Hagens has to overlook time, the onus will fall on Boston’s top-six unit to step up. The Bruins’ prime line of David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and JJ Peterka put collectively a robust exhibiting in opposition to Pittsburgh.

Whereas Zacha scored twice, Pastrnak and Peterka every posted two assists in opposition to the Penguins.