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There are successful debuts, and then there's Marc McLaughlin's night at TD Garden on Thursday.
The Billerica, Mass., native and Boston College product made his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils after signing a two-way contract with the Boston Bruins earlier this month.
And with more than 50 family members and friends in attendance at the Garden, McLaughlin gave them something to cheer about, scoring in the second period of Boston's 8-1 rout of New Jersey.
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So, kid: How'd it feel scoring your first NHL goal in your first NHL game for the team you grew up watching in front of your closest family and friends?
"It was pretty special," McLaughlin told reporters after the game. "I feel like I’ve lived that moment as a kid a hundred million times, down in my basement or shooting pucks or something. But for it to come true here and get in a game and obviously be able to contribute with a goal, it’s really special."
Watch: Josh Brown drops the gloves 38 seconds into B's debut
The Billerica contingent at the Garden went crazy when McLaughlin scored, and 22-year-old admitted he peeked up at the video board to watch their reactions.
"I saw it on the Jumbotron," McLaughlin said. "I saw my mom jumping up and down. Yeah, it was pretty cool to see. I’m blessed with having such a supportive family, friends. My (former Boston College) teammates were here tonight. That means a lot to me, to see them out here supporting me."
McLaughlin's fan club also caught the eye of his teammates, including Brad Marchand, who got a kick out of the rookie's big night.
"It was funny looking over in warmups and seeing the crowd that he had here," Marchand said. "Such a surreal feeling for him, I’m sure, being a local kid and getting the opportunity to play here. … It must be very special for their whole family, so we’re very happy for him. He’s such a good kid, so you always love to see that."
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It's unclear whether McLaughlin will stick in Boston down the stretch: Head coach Bruce Cassidy wanted to shake things up after Tuesday's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it's possible Nick Foligno's return from a lower-body injury could bump McLaughlin from the lineup.
But Cassidy seemed pleased with not only McLaughlin's performance, but also how the team rallied around him in the blowout win.
"Did you see the bench? Tells you a bit about our team," Cassidy said. "This kid’s only been here a little bit, but how hard he’s worked, I think every guy on the bench was excited for him. He’s a hard-working kid. ... He earned it. Played hard, played well."
Next up for Boston is a home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET.