After years of hard work Colby Cave can now call himself an NHLer.

The former Swift Current Broncos captain made his NHL debut tonight in a 2-1 Boston shootout win over Winnipeg.

There were several Broncos connections in the game as Cave started on a line with Jake DeBrusk. He also suited up against another former Broncos captain Adam Lowry in Winnipeg's lineup.

Cave wore #26 and played 11:15 of ice time. That included 1:10 on the penalty kill in a close game.

The North Battleford product also took an interference penalty on one of his first shifts.

The call-up came for Cave earlier in the day during a practice with the AHL's Providence Bruins as the big club had two players out sick.

Cave has 14 points and is a +6 in 27 games for Providence this season. He has played 179 total AHL games.

He suited up 287 times with the Broncos during his WHL career with 202 points over that time.

Swift Current acquired Cave in the Cody Eakin trade in 2011. He was their captain from 2013 to 2015 before inking an NHL entry-level deal with the Bruins.