The Boston Bruins are facing a must-win Game 6 in their Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Buffalo Sabres, but one name fans are eager to see on the ice might stay off the lineup card: rookie James Hagens.

The 19-year-old forward was present at Thursday's practice, but all signs point to him watching from the bench once again. Hagens made an impression in Games 1 and 2, logging significant minutes and showcasing his electrifying footwork alongside speedy teammate Marat Khusnutdinov. However, his ice time dropped to single digits in Game 3, and he's been a healthy scratch since.

Head coach Marco Sturm has remained tight-lipped about the decision but offered some insight ahead of Game 5. "He was in the mix too. It was a Game 7 for us. I didn't want to put him in a bad spot. He still needs to learn a lot," Sturm explained. "He played great so far to this point. Hopefully, I can use him again down the stretch. But yesterday I thought I need experience going into a game like that."

With only five NHL games under his belt and no goals yet, Hagens is still finding his footing. His speed and energy brought a spark to the Bruins' attack, but in a high-stakes elimination game, Sturm is leaning on veteran experience.

Thursday's practice lines confirmed the trend, with Hagens skating on the outside of the main group. The Bruins' top six remained unchanged: Khusnutdinov-Zacha-Pastrnak, Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Geekie, with depth forwards like Steeves, Minten, Eyssimont, Jeannot, Kuraly, and Kastelic filling out the roster. Hagens and Reichel were the odd men out.

As the Bruins gear up for a pivotal Game 6, fans will have to wait and see if the rookie gets another shot to bring his speed to the ice—or if experience wins out once again.