After spending parts of four seasons with the Providence Bruins, Tommy Cross finally received his first call-up to Boston on October 13 and made his NHL debut the following night in Colorado. Filling in for an ill Joe Morrow, Cross registered one assist and a minus-1 rating in three games.

Despite being returned to Providence on October 22, Cross had left his mark and impressed Boston coach Claude Julien in the process.

“He’s [Cross] been good,” Julien told BostonBruins.com on October 20, “he’s made mistakes, just like anybody else, but I think his hockey sense is really good. He makes good, smart decisions, and that’s been one of his strengths,”

Now that Cross has gotten a taste of the National Hockey League, the P-Bruins captain and top-scoring defenseman is clamoring for another shot.

Since his return to Providence, the Simsbury, Connecticut native and former Boston College standout has registered five assists in five games, giving him a total of seven on the season. That ranks him second on the team behind Alex Khokhlachev’s nine and ties him for third among defensemen in the American Hockey League.

“I just have to play my best,” Cross said about receiving another call-up to Boston. “I think if you play your best, you put yourself in the conversation to get called up, and I think that goes for everyone. If you’re not helping your team win, they [Boston] are not going to call you up, so I think playing at the top of my game consistently is the biggest thing.”

While being called up to Boston was understandably exciting, Cross fully knows that it is all a learning process and that there are some areas of the game he needs to get a better grasp on in order to stick around in Boston.

“You learn a lot about the game from the guys who have been up there for so long,” Cross said. “You just learn a few things day by day to make yourself a better player.”

Making the transition from the AHL to the NHL is never very easy. Ask any player who has shuttled between the big leagues and the minors, and they will tell you that the game is faster and a bit more organized from what they encounter in the AHL. When asked about it on Sunday, Cross echoed that idea.

“[The NHL] is a little different style of play,” Cross said, “[It’s] a little quicker and more structured.”

Adjusting to the fast-paced, structural play of the NHL is something Cross plans to work on while awaits another chance with Parent Club.

“I would say [I’m working on] everything. The puck skills, making plays and getting shots through [to the net],” Cross said.

Although Providence has been struggling defensively, they’ve given up 35 goals, third most in the AHL, Tommy Cross has been a bright star. The Bruins’ 2007 second round pick, who likes to rush the puck and get involved with the offensive play, now has NHL experience. That should bode well for the 26-year-old as he has certainly shown all the makings of someone who could — and should — be a top-six defensemen for Boston in the near future.