BOSTON _ Road-weary and run-down, the Wild looked every bit of a team completing a back-to-back at the conclusion of a four-game trip that spanned nearly a week by limping to a 4-0 letdown to the Bruins Tuesday in front of 17,565 at TD Garden that nixed the team's three-game win streak.
But with six points from three victories already in tow, this detour through the Eastern Conference was still a success _ and perhaps just the turning point the Wild needs to continue to their climb up the standings, as the group finished the trek in the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Although the last impression left by the finale didn't reflect well on the Wild, it looked like the anomaly of the bunch.
In pulling out 4-3 decisions over the Maple Leafs and Senators before upending the Canadiens, 1-0, Monday, the Wild relied on opportunistic scoring, timely saves and a perseverance reminiscent of their triumphs earlier in the season when they assembled wins like puzzle pieces.
But the Wild skated like the knock-off version of that get-up against the Bruins, who set up their fifth straight victory with three first-period goals.
At 5 minutes, 23 seconds, winger Danton Heinen deflected a John Moore shot by backup Alex Stalock.
Top-line winger Brad Marchand doubled Boston's lead 6:06 later when he buried a bounce off the end boards and with 45 seconds left in the frame, the Bruins converted on the power play _ a floater by center Patrice Bergeron that hit winger Jake DeBrusk's chest and tumbled behind Stalock.
Another redirect on the Bruins' second and last power play, this one off Bergeron's stick 6:24 into the second, capped off the scoring. Not only did the Wild blank on their three chances, but they failed to register a shot with the man advantage. The power play remains stuck in a 1-for-23 funk.
Stalock, who was making his first start since Dec.6, posted 23 saves; Tuukka Rask had 24.
