ST. PAUL, Minn. _ The Wild went into the All-Star break and ensuing bye week with a woeful penalty kill, and the problem was waiting for the team when it restarted its season Saturday.
One of the NHL's worst units was burned three times by the Bruins in the second period, including twice in just 1 minute, 16 seconds, to bust open a sloppy return by the Wild that finished as a grim 6-1 rout in front of an announced 18,009 at Xcel Energy Center.
Boston's top line punished the Wild's penalty kill, combining for three goals in four power-play chances.
Overall, defenseman Torey Krug scored twice and added two assists, winger David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists and winger Brad Marchand buried a goal and set up another.
Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak, who earned the start after No.1 Tuukka Rask played the previous night in Winnipeg, made 25 saves. His shutout bid was spoiled when a shot by winger Mats Zuccarello sailed by him with 5:29 left in the third period.
The Bruins were already up by a goal when their power play took over.
At 12:28 of the first period, Krug cut through the middle of the Wild's zone before unleashing a backhander by goalie Devan Dubnyk. But at that point, the Wild didn't look overwhelmed by Boston in an uneven game that felt a bit unhinged as the Wild tried to rediscover game mode.
But that vibe changed quickly in the second period.
An offensive-zone interference penalty by winger Ryan Hartman started the slide, with a fortuitous bounce doubling Boston's lead.
Krug's shot caromed off the post, hit the back of Dubnyk and tumbled into the net at 4:39.
On the very next shift, center Eric Staal was dinged for interference in the neutral zone and again, the Bruins took advantage.
This time, Marchand capitalized on a one-timer from inside the right faceoff circle at 5:55 to flip a one-goal cushion into three in just 1:16.
Before the period adjourned, Boston received one more power play (when center Joel Eriksson Ek was called for holding Krug in the offensive zone) and improved to 3 for 3 when Pastrnak buried a loose puck amid a scramble in front of Dubnyk with 4:31 to go in the second. The goal was Pastrnak's NHL-leading 38.
Boston scored a fifth, from winger Anders Bjork, at 17:59 of the third before winger Jake DeBrusk scored on a one-timer 34 seconds later.
The Wild, meanwhile, blanked on four of its own power plays _ two of which came in the second when it needed to pry momentum away from the Bruins.
But the more glaring concern regarding special teams is the penalty kill.
Entering the game, the unit ranked 26th in the NHL at 74.8%.
The group had a bit of reprieve near the end of December, going on a 6-for-6 run in a three-game span. But it went into the break at a league-worst 63.6% since Dec.31. Since then, the Wild has given up 24 goals in 37 short-handed situations.
Dubnyk ended up with 28 saves.
This loss was just the Wild's second in its last five games, and a rusty performance isn't unfathomable after players were idle for nine days.
But with the Wild chasing a playoff spot by multiple points, there's little time to waste to try to inch closer to a berth _ especially considering its jostling with more than a few teams for that second wild-card seed in the Western Conference.
