Doug Doull got exactly what he wanted this Christmas. He got his first shot at the NHL. After six years in the minor leagues, the 29-year-old was recalled from Providence and made his NHL debut on Dec. 11 at Washington. Soon thereafter, he was in his first NHL fight. It’s the role he’s been asked to play here in Boston, and he’s played it well.

“I’m not up here to work the half wall on the power play,” said Doull. “I’m here to provide a spark. I’m just trying to initiate by hitting, and if that doesn’t happen, I might as well go out there and ask him (to fight).”

There is no easy road to the NHL, but Doull took the long, scenic route to get here. After playing four years of Junior hockey in Belleville, Ontario, the native of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia enrolled at St. Mary’s University in Canada. After three years there, he went pro and two seasons in the IHL.

At the start of the 2000-2001 season, Doull didn’t have any offers he liked. He didn’t want to go down to the ECHL. That’s how he wound up playing pro hockey in Manchester. Not Manchester, NH… Manchester, England.

“I remember one practice we were practicing where there was an island in the rink,” recalled Doull. “It was a public skating rink. We had to practice against this island with trees on it.

“I did take a tougher route to get here,” said Doull, “but I’m living out my dream right now. Hopefully, I can just keep it going.”

That dream involves standing up and exchanging blows with the toughest men in the NHL. Darren Langdon. Jesse Boulerice. Stephen Peat. Doull has taken them all on, and handled himself quite well. He has given the team a much-needed dose of energy, and drawn the praises of hockey fans.

“The job’s not easy, obviously,” said Doull, “but I watch a guy like Joe Thornton out there. To me, tough hockey is being out there 40 seconds with the puck on your stick and being whacked all night long. What I do is 30 seconds in the course of a game.”

Doull spent some 1,100 penalty minutes in minor-league arenas to earn those 30 seconds a game. He, more than anyone else in the Bruins locker room, understands what a privilege it is to play in the league. There’s no doubting Doull’s courage, and the winger never doubted that he would get his shot.

“The day you think you don’t have any chance of playing in the NHL is the time I would have to say I don’t want to play any more,” said Doull.

For the record, the fight with Peat in Washington was not Doull’s first fight in a Boston Bruins uniform. That bout came back in 1989

“I was about 16 years old at the Buffalo Auditorium,” remembered Doull. “My favorite player was Cam Neely. I had one of his jerseys on. I remember we — the Boston Bruins and Cam Neely — had just scored. I had beer and popcorn pelted at me and I went to confront the person who did it. I got in a bit of a tilt and got my jersey ripped off. I got handcuffed and escorted out of the Aud.”

That’s the kind of spirit that has helped Doull get back in the spoked B. It’s also the kind of experience that helps him understand that to make it as a pro, you really do have to take it one day at a time.

“I’ll be happy to practice tomorrow,” said Doull, “that’s the only day I’m looking ahead to.”

Lewiston native Tom Caron is a NESN analyst for Red Sox and Bruins telecasts.

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