It was a stinging loss for Columbus (40-29-12), which must depend on others to have a chance at a playoff bid.
Mark Kastelic’s 10th goal of the season — and the third of the night from the fourth line — midway through the third was the difference after Adam Fantilli pulled Columbus even at 2 early in the period.
Hagens earned his first point with an assist on Boston’s second goal. The puck from Henri Jokiharju’s goal was safely tucked in the 19-year-old’s equipment bag.
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James Hagens played six games for the Providence Bruins before getting his chance with the big club.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Hagens started the game, played just over 13 minutes spread over 19 shifts, and was called for a hooking penalty.
“It was super cool. It’s a really cool building to be able to get that win in. It was special,” said Hagens, adding with a smile, “Maybe stay out of the box, but it was a really cool game.”
With the Bruins protecting the 3-2 lead, Marco Sturm kept rolling out Fraser Minten’s line, with Marat Khusnutdinov on the right and Hagens on the left. It was a high-pressure situation, but the 19-year-old looked comfortable.
“The why is because he gave me a reason for it,” said Sturm. “So, it’s not just because of his name [or that] he’s a high pick, whatever it is. No, I put him out there because I trusted him and the whole line did a great job.”
Along with Hagens, the fourth line was the story. They were relentless on the forecheck and their work paid off with Sean Kuraly (22 games) and Kastelic (23 games) snapping goal droughts.
“We’ve been doing the right things and after you’ve been through it so many years in a row, you know that if you do the right things, it’ll eventually find its way in the back of the net,” said Kuraly, who played the last four seasons in Columbus. “So, just try and treat the changes and the way the puck bounces the same and just keep going. It’s easier said than done. But tonight felt good — can’t sugarcoat that.”
Not to be lost was the play of Joonas Korpisalo, who finished with 33 saves — several of them spectacular — in the barn where he played his first eight seasons.
“We needed him . . . He was rock solid again,” said Sturm. “I’m glad he got a win against his former team.”
Moments after Morgan Geekie just missed springing David Pastrnak on a breakaway — the lead pass was just out of reach — the Blue Jackets drew first blood.
Dante Fabbro ripped one from the blue line and Mason Marchment, camped on Korpisalo’s doorstep, redirected to the top shelf for the 1-0 lead. It was Marchment’s 19th of the season.
The Bruins evened things with a bit of pinball hockey.
Alex Steeves made a nice pass from the left circle to Jokiharju at the blue line. The defender wristed it toward the front of the net where Kastelic deflected it before it redirected off Kuraly’s skate and past Jet Greaves (19 saves).
Sean Monahan got one by Korpisalo, but just before it crossed the goal line, Mikey Eyssimont swept it out of harm’s way.
Seconds after the Bruins caught a break (they had too many men on the ice), they were whistled for the first penalty of the game when Hagens hooked old friend Charlie Coyle in the offensive end with 58 seconds left in the first period.
The Bruins killed the final 1:02 of the Hagens penalty to start the second and nearly took the lead minutes later when Pastrnak rocked one off the crossbar after curling through the left circle.
Hagens landed his first shot on net, zapping a one-timer from the left circle that Greaves caught in the belly.
The Bruins’ penalty killers — and Korpisalo — shined in the second, killing back-to-back penalties drawn by Miles Wood.
Jokiharju gave the Bruins the lead, sending a dart over Greaves’s glove for his second of the season with just 18.6 seconds left in the period. Hagens earned the secondary assist, keeping the puck in the zone on the forecheck and getting it to Kuraly, who dished to Jokiharju.
“I was just trying to get harder on the forecheck, finish your hit, make sure to stall the guy and then I heard someone [Kuraly] talking in my ear, so I just kicked it over to him,” said Hagens.
Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him @globejimmcbride.