Bruins' shutout win vs. Wild was a blueprint for team's playoff push

There was a lot to like about the Boston Bruins' impressive 3-0 shutout win over the Minnesota Wild at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

Matthew Poitras tallied two assists for the second straight game, further proving that he belongs at the NHL level full-time. Trent Frederic scored in the first period -- just his second goal in the last 12 games. Morgan Geekie sealed the win with an empty-net goal late in the third period, giving him 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in his last 16 games.

"It was a good showing by our guys," Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco said postgame. "They played determined hockey tonight.”

But the most encouraging aspect of this victory for the Bruins was the fact that their three pillars -- David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman -- led the way.

This is the blueprint for the Bruins to be successful the rest of the regular season and into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs -- assuming they qualify.

The Bruins don't have much secondary scoring this season. They have far fewer legit top-six forwards this season compared to recent years. So it's no surprise that Boston ranks 25th in goals scored per game and 30th in power-play percentage.

There's a lot of pressure on Pastrnak to deliver every game as the only elite forward on the roster, and to his credit, he's going above and beyond right now. He extended his point streak to 11 games -- the third-longest of his career -- with an assist against the Wild. The superstar right wing leads the league with 14 goals since Jan. 1. He also leads the league with 29 points during that span -- six more than any other player.

Pastrnak has been an MVP-caliber player for several years now. And this season has been one of his most impressive given how much of the scoring responsibility -- both as a goal scorer and playmaker -- rests on his shoulders.

When Pastrnak is playing well, the Bruins are far more dangerous offensively because he creates so many scoring chances for himself and his teammates. Tuesday night's win was a great example of that.

McAvoy's return to the lineup has been a huge boost for Boston. The veteran defenseman scored Boston's first goal versus the Wild when he tipped a Pastrnak shot past Minnesota goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. McAvoy has goals in back-to-back games for the first time since the first two matchups of the season.

McAvoy also excelled defensively versus the Wild. The Bruins had an 18-12 edge in shot attempts, a 10-6 advantage in scoring chances and a 1-0 goal differential during McAvoy's 14:01 of 5-on-5 ice time, per Natural Stat Trick. At his best, McAvoy is a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman who will play great defense against the opponent's top forwards, create scoring chances and contribute to both special teams units over 20-plus minutes of ice time. He played 2:22 on the penalty kill Tuesday, and that unit went a perfect 4-for-4.

The Bruins need McAvoy to be a dominant player on a consistent basis, especially when the team's second-best defenseman -- Hampus Lindholm -- is unavailable due to injury. McAvoy has played very well since returning to the lineup.

Pastrnak and McAvoy are ultra important to Boston's success, but the player who has the largest impact is Swayman.

It's no secret that the 26-year-old goalie hasn't lived up to expectations after signing an eight-year, $66 million extension right before the season. But Swayman has played better of late, and his 35-save shutout versus the Wild was one of his best performances of the campaign.

The Wild generated nine high-danger scoring chances and Swayman thwarted all of them. Based on the quantity and quality of the Wild's chances, Swayman had an expected goals against of 3.27, but he let nothing past him.

"He was solid tonight," Sacco said of Swayman. "I don't know if it was as good as he's played all season, but certainly right up there. He was tracking the puck well, not giving up a lot of rebound opportunities."

Swayman has played at a top-10 goalie level for most of his career, and that's the kind of performance the Bruins need from him over the next two months to make the playoffs. Linus Ullmark is gone. The B's no longer have the luxury of starting a Vezina-caliber netminder every game. Swayman will have to play a lot of games down the stretch and, on occasion, carry his team to victories.

The Bruins entered Wednesday just outside of the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They have two more games before the 4 Nations Face-off tournament break, including a huge matchup versus the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

The Bruins will be in a fierce battle for a playoff berth the rest of the regular season. And if they're going to extend their postseason appearance streak to a league-best nine seasons, they need the three pillars -- Pastrnak/McAvoy/Swayman -- to lead the way on a nightly basis.

This is not a deep team. The stars have to show up.