BOSTON — The Boston Bruins deluged four goals on the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, but all they really needed was one.
Thanks in part to a three-goal first period, Boston earned its fifth straight victory with a 4-0 throttling of the Wild at TD Garden.
Danton Heinen, Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and Patrice Bergeron provided Boston’s goals, while John Moore, Torey Krug, Marchand and Bergeron each had two assists.
Tuukka Rask earned his first shutout of the season as he turned away all 24 shots he faced, while Minnesota netminder Alex Stalock made 23 saves.
The Bruins climbed to 25-14-4 with the win, while the Wild fell to 21-18-3 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
THREE IN THE FIRST
Just over a quarter of the way through the opening period, Heinen got the Bruins on the board first, halting a goalless streak that was nearing a month.
After receiving a pass from Krug, Moore uncorked a wrister from the right point, and Heinen tipped it just over Stalock’s glove at 5:23 for his fifth goal of the season and first since Dec. 11.
That was far from the only goal the Bruins would score in the first.
Moore got his second assist of the night, feeding Bergeron a pass from the right to center point. Bergeron banked the puck off the end boards, with the loose puck finding Marchand right on the doorstep, allowing the winger to quickly bury his 16th goal of the campaign at 11:28.
Boston added one more tally for good measure before the first was finished, and it was one of the more creative goals you’ll see.
With Eric Staal in the box for tripping, Bergeron put a puck toward the net. DeBrusk was at the near post, and with the puck elevating, he jumped in the air. Though the winger was unable to get a stick on the puck, he managed to chest it past Stalock to swell the home side’s lead to 3-0 with 45 seconds to go.
DeBrusk appeared amused with how he scored his 14th goal of the season.
The Bruins finished the impressive 20 minutes having outshot the Wild 14-6, while killing both their penalties successfully.
ANOTHER IN THE SECOND
Zach Parise was whistled for the first penalty of the second period at 6:05, and the Bruins needed just 19 seconds to capitalize.
Krug fed Marchand with a pass, and as the winger skated through the left face-off circle, he zipped a puck into the slot. In a stroke of luck, the puck hit off Bergeron’s skate and careened into the net, upping Boston’s advantage to 4-0 at 6:24.
It was Bergeron’s 14th goal of the season and third point of the night.
Although the Bruins accounted for the only goal, they were outshot 12-5 over the middle 20 minutes.
B’S CLOSE DOOR
Though the result hadn’t been in doubt for a good chunk of the night, the Bruins put the finishing touches on the game in the third by blanking the Wild for yet another period.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will finish up their current homestand Thursday against the Washington Capitals. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET.
This Bruins Wrap is presented by Plainridge Park Casino.
