Bruins Blank Devils, Clinch East's First Wild Card Spot

Boston secures playoff berth with dominant first-period performance in regular-season finale.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 7:25am

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An abstract, energetic painting featuring bold, neon-colored brushstrokes that capture the frenetic action and intensity of a hockey game, with players' forms blending together in a dynamic, expressionistic style.The Bruins' high-octane offense and stifling defense overwhelmed the Devils, securing Boston's return to the Stanley Cup playoffs.Boston Today

The Boston Bruins scored four goals in the first period and goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves to shut out the visiting New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Tuesday night. The win clinched the Bruins' spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs as the first wild card team.

Why it matters

The Bruins' victory ensures they will return to the Stanley Cup playoffs after missing out last season. As the first wild card team in the East, they will face the Buffalo Sabres in the opening round, setting up an intriguing matchup between two historic franchises.

The details

Mark Kastelic scored two of Boston's four first-period goals, with Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson also finding the back of the net. Swayman recorded his second shutout of the season, making 10 of his 21 saves in the opening frame. New Jersey's Nico Daws stopped 24 shots in the loss.

  • The Bruins opened the scoring just 53 seconds into the first period.
  • Kastelic scored his first goal at 6:14 of the first period.
  • Kastelic's second goal came at 17:42 of the first period.
  • Arvidsson scored with 8 seconds left in the first period.

The players

Mark Kastelic

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored two goals in the first period to help the team clinch a playoff berth.

Jeremy Swayman

The Bruins' goaltender who recorded a 21-save shutout in the regular-season finale.

Morgan Geekie

A Bruins forward who scored the opening goal of the game in the first period.

Viktor Arvidsson

A Bruins forward who scored the team's fourth goal of the first period, becoming the first Bruin since Jarome Iginla in 2013-14 to reach the 25-goal plateau in his initial season with the team.

Nico Daws

The Devils' goaltender who made 24 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong and set the tone early. The guys executed the game plan perfectly in that first period.”

— Bruce Cassidy, Bruins Head Coach

What’s next

The Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The takeaway

The Bruins' dominant first-period performance, capped by two goals from Mark Kastelic, secured their return to the playoffs and set up an intriguing first-round matchup with the Sabres. Boston's depth scoring and Swayman's strong goaltending will be key factors as they look to make a deep postseason run.