Bruins dress Soderberg, sit Daugavins in Game 5

CHICAGO -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien picked a heck of a time to introduce Carl Soderberg to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Soderberg, 27, is making his postseason debut Saturday in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS). The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.

The Swedish forward is replacing Kaspars Daugavins as the Bruins fourth-line left wing. He started the game skating with center Rich Peverley and right wing Shawn Thornton. Soderberg hadn't played since April 28, the final game of the regular season.

The Bruins didn't sign Soderberg to a NHL contract until April 13; he played six games, contributing two assists, before the playoffs began. Soderberg scored 60 points in 54 games with Linkopings HC in the Swedish Elite League this season before coming to play in the NHL

Julien said Saturday morning he had been toying with the idea of playing Soderberg earlier in the playoffs after Gregory Campbell was injured in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Julien went with Daugavins for Game 4 against the Penguins and stuck with him for the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final.

However, after using Daugavins for less than six minutes in Game 4, Julien decided to change to the more skilled Soderberg.

Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl