BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins (41-24-8) showcased just how tall their ceiling can be, beating the high-flying Minnesota Wild (41-21-12) 6-3 inside TD Garden on Saturday night.
The second line is just pure dynamite. Casey Mittelstadt had three assists. Pavel Zacha scored twice, and Viktor Arvidsson had a tally and an apple of his own.
David Pastrnak continued to star, with two more primary assists. He extended his point streak to 12 games in the process, the longest for him this season. Elias Lindholm scored twice, including an empty-netter.
Jeremy Swayman came up large most of the night, with Minnesota's high-powered skill peaking through throughout the contest. He made 31 saves in the victory.
Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves in the defeat for the Wild.
The game had an incredible pace, one of the fastest-flowing games of hockey you can watch. It's something the Bruins had no issue with. Head Coach Marco Sturm praised the effort, calling it one of the best of the year.
First Period:
The Bruins struck super early, and took a 1–0 lead just 61 seconds into the contest, with Andrew Peeke wiring home a wrister that beat Filip Gustavsson blocker side.
Mark Kastelic dropped the gloves with Michael McCarron, jolting even more energy into the crowd and game.
Off the ensuing face-off in the defensive zone, the Bruins doubled the lead. Mittelstadt sprang Zacha and Arvidsson for a two-on-one rush, and it was picture-perfect as far as two-on-ones go.
Afterward, Minnesota pressed hard, but Swayman came up big through. He made a nice helmet save on Vladimir Tarasenko, one of 12 saves he made in the first period.
Second Period:
Minnesota continued to push hard to start the second period, throwing five quick shots on Swayman, who turned them all aside.
Boston finally hemmed in Minnesota midway through the period, cycling through two line changes before the inevitable happened.
Pastrnak found Arvidsson for a one-timer that Arvidsson flubbed, but got to go anyway.
Later in the period, Kirill Kaprizov polished off an unbelievable rush play, sniping it with just over five minutes to go in the second period.
Then, the Bruins took a quick penalty and things became tense inside TD Garden.
The pesky Bruins killed it off, and took a two-goal lead into the third period.
Third Period:
Boston pushed hard to start the third, and found a quick goal just 3:48 into the period.
Lukas Reichel made a real good play on the goal, quickly knocking the puck to the wide-open Lindholm.
After that, Minnesota pushed hard, aided by controversial simultaneous penalties on Nikita Zadorov and Marat Khusnutdinov, giving the Wild a full two-minute five-on-three man advantage.
The killers nearly killed it off in full, but with 13 seconds left to kill, Mats Zuccarello sniped one home.
After that, the third period became a period carried by the Wild, with an ineffective Boston power play mixed in.
With just over six minutes to go, Ryan Hartman got three whacks in on Jeremy Swayman before he beat Swayman, making it a one-goal game, and cranking the tension all the way up inside TD Garden.
In dire need of insurance, the Bruins' best line came through.
Mittelstadt stole a puck, then turned and quickly fired on net. Zacha deflected it perfectly, and Boston restored a two-goal edge with just 3:10 to go in the third.
The goal was the dagger. Elias Lindholm tapped in the empty-netter with 34 seconds to play, as the Bruins celebrated a monumental victory.
Elsewhere in the league, the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Pittsburgh Penguins all lost in regulation, a boon for Boston's playoff hopes.
Boston can further separate itself from the pack tomorrow night, when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus.