BOSTON (AP) — Pavel Zacha scored his 25th goal in the opening period and added a game-sealing score late in the game, leading the Boston Bruins past Minnesota 6-3 on Saturday to spoil the Wild’s chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Elias Lindholm scored twice while Andrew Peeke and Viktor Arvidsson also had goals for the Bruins. David Pastrnak extended his season-high point streak to 12 games with two assists and Jeremy Swayman made 32 saves.
In a tight
race with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, Boston has won four of its last five games and 15 of its last 17 home games.
The Wild have lost six of their last nine but have a firm hold on third place in the Central Division. A victory Saturday would have earned them a playoff berth.
Kirill Kaprizov scored late in the second period for Minnesota after it fell behind 3-0. Mats Zuccarello added a power-play goal with a two-man advantage in the third to pull the Wild within 4-2.
Ryan Hartman’s goal sliced Minnesota’s deficit to 4-3 with just over 6 minutes left before Zacha’s second with 3:10 left sealed it.
Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 shots but failed to pick up his 100th career victory.
Peeke’s shot from just above the right circle caromed in off the far post and crossbar, making it 1-0 just 61 seconds into the game.
Zacha extended his career-high goal mark by one-timing Arvidsson’s feed past Gustavsson 14 minutes into the first. Zacha’s previous career-best total was 21, done twice in his first two seasons with Boston.
Pastrnak sent a cross-ice pass to Arvidsson, who beat Gustavsson for a tough-angle goal from deep at the left circle midway into the second.
The Wild easily handled the Bruins in the teams’ previous matchup in Minnesota on Dec. 14.
Wild: Host Vancouver on Thursday.
Bruins: At Columbus Sunday.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
