Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild: did Pavel Zacha’s 2-goal first star tilt the third period?

The Boston Bruins moved to 41-24 with 6 points after a 6-3 result over the the Minnesota Wild, who came in at 41-21 with 3 points, at 5:00 PM EDT at TD Garden. Boston finished with 6 goals on 31 shots while Minnesota produced 3 goals on 34 shots, and the Bruins posted a 57 percent faceoff win rate to the Wild’s 43 percent.

First period

The Boston Bruins put up 2 goals in the first period while the the Minnesota Wild scored 0, setting an early edge on the period-by-period scoring line. Boston recorded 33 faceoff wins on 58 draws in the game, and that puck-control trend started with the Bruins carrying a 57 percent faceoff share overall.

Second period

The Bruins added 1 goal in the second period and finished the night with 10 assists on 6 goals, reflecting a steady flow of finished plays at even strength. The Wild got on the board with 1 second-period goal, and Minnesota’s special teams also generated 1 power-play goal on 6 shots across 3 opportunities.

Third period

The Bruins struck for 3 goals in the third period, and Boston’s 19 percent shooting rate on 31 shots turned that push into separation on the scoreboard. Pavel Zacha anchored the finish as the first star with 2 goals, and David Pastrnak supported Boston’s attack with 2 assists while the Bruins piled up 16 total points as a team. In net, Jeremy Swayman earned the win with 31 saves on 34 shots, and Boston Bruins post-match stats also showed 23 blocked shots and 20 hits as the B’s saw out the late stages. The Wild produced 2 third-period goals and finished with 19 hits and 11 blocked shots, and Minnesota’s line also included 22 giveaways and 7 takeaways in a game that featured swings in possession.

Postgame and what is next

The Boston Bruins final whistle reaction centered on a night where the Bruins logged 18 giveaways and 3 takeaways while Minnesota finished with 22 giveaways and 7 takeaways. The post-game thoughts Boston Bruins could lean on from the sheet included a 2-for-2 Bruins power play that produced 3 shots and a Minnesota penalty picture that totaled 11 minutes. The Boston Bruins vs Minnesota Wild final thoughts also begin with the league’s three stars listing Zacha first, Viktor Arvidsson second, and Pastrnak third after the Bruins closed the third period with 3 goals.

The next Bruins broadcast is set for 5:00 PM EDT on 2026-03-29, with the Boston Bruins visiting the the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and fans can watch on ESPN+, NESN, or FDSOH. Keep it locked for the next game recap, and share this article with other Bruins fans.