Wild shut out by Boston 3-0 as scoring drought continues

BOSTON – The Wild won’t begin to droop when they return home from their latest trip.

They’re already in a lull.

After a self-described “embarrassing” performance against the Senators that will change the complexion of their lineup for the foreseeable future, the Wild improved vs. the Bruins but still weren’t sharp enough to avoid falling 3-0 Tuesday night at TD Garden and losing two in a row on the road for the first time.

“Maybe that’s a good change, coming home needing to turn things around a little bit,” veteran winger Marcus Johansson said. “We need to make our home a place that’s tough to come and play, and we haven’t done that yet so far.”

To accomplish that, the Wild will have to snap their longest scoring drought of the season: They haven’t been shut out in back-to-back games since Nov. 3-8, 2022, by the Kraken and Kings. Their last goal was an empty-netter from center Frederick Gaudreau late in the third period of the 4-0 victory against the Canadiens last Thursday, a dry spell of 121 minutes, 27 seconds.

“We had enough looks to get a few,” said Johansson, who was back from injury. “But both goalies played well. We just couldn’t quite get one by him.

“It’s tough to win games when you can’t score.”

Fleury was an onlooker for the 6-0 debacle in Ottawa last Saturday, which included forward Ryan Hartman roughing Tim Stützle and being assessed a 10-game suspension that he began serving on Tuesday, and the Wild started more like the team that was in action for Fleury’s memorable send-off at Montreal.

They controlled the puck early, testing Swayman and the Bruins with quick looks and in-zone movement, while not surrendering a shot on their net until almost halfway through the first. When the pressure arrived, Fleury was ready, his second stop a snazzy grab with his glove against Pavel Zacha.

“Not as open in the slot,” Fleury said of how the Wild were cleaner defensively. “We clogged the middle a bit more. Our gaps were better when the other team was coming into our zone. Less [penalty] kills also, and very good job on the kills [3-for-3]. Little things that make a big difference.”

Still, Boston dominated the rest of the period, and 5:46 into the second McAvoy tipped in a David Pastrnak shot from the middle.

BOXSCORE: Boston 3, Wild 0

Overall, the period was more competitive, but the Wild still struggled to catch up; their deficit actually doubled after one of their closest calls.

After Johansson — who returned along with defenseman Jonas Brodin after he, too, was injured last month — forced a turnover, center Marco Rossi tried to find winger Marcus Foligno, but Foligno was bumped by Oliver Wahlstrom into the net. With Johansson also tripped up behind the play, the Bruins went the other way for a 3-on-2 that Rossi attempted to turn into a 3-on-3, but the trailer Frederick was left all alone to wire the puck by Fleury at 14:14.

“I feel like there was a few penalties that could have been called there, but it is what it is,” Johansson said. “They didn’t call it, and they end up going down and scoring one on us instead. That’s just unfortunate.”

Later in the period, Swayman made his best save when he gloved down a Matt Boldy wind-up. The winger had a game-high six shots denied by Swayman, who also picked up four saves shorthanded — including three against the 0-for-4 Wild power play in the third period when the team vied for a comeback.

“Just gotta keep going,” Rossi said. “Obviously, we’re going to get our bounce. So, it’s important to keep our game and just keep going.”

They have a two-game homestand that begins Thursday vs. the Hurricanes before a two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.