Halak makes 26 saves, Bruins shut out Wild

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jaroslav Halak made 26 saves for the Boston Bruins in a 3-0 win against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday.

It was Halak's fifth shutout this season and 47th in the NHL.
"I think the whole game we played a pretty good game the right way," Halak said. "That's how we want to finish the season, playing the right way."
WATCH: [Bruins vs. Wild highlights]
Zach Sensyshyn scored in his NHL debut for Boston (49-23-9), which has won two straight and will finish second in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins will have home-ice advantage against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Alex Stalock made 32 saves for Minnesota (37-35-9), which was shut out for the 10th time this season and seventh time at home.
"It's very frustrating. I was getting mad on the bench saying, 'We aren't getting shut out again,'" Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "You can't win like that."
Joakim Nordstrom gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 8:21 of the second period, shooting into an open net after Noel Acciari poked the loose puck to him after Matt Grzelcyk's initial shot went wide.
David Pastrnak extended the lead to 2-0 at 17:51 of the third period, and Senyshyn scored an empty-net goal 36 seconds later for the 3-0 final.
"[30 years from now I'll say the goal was] top-shelf, dangled a couple guys before. No, again, it's a dream come true anyway you put it," Sensyshyn said. "Put the puck in the net in the National Hockey League, you're never going to forget it.

They said it

"One season ends right now and the second one starts next week. I just try to help the guys when I get a chance. Tonight, it's huge for me personally finishing the season with a shutout and finishing on a winning note." -- Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak

"It's tough to put it into words when you're going into a game and you know there's really nothing on the line anymore. We've been in (the Stanley Cup Playoffs) for six years where every game meant something. So yeah, it's definitely tough." -- Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon

Need to know

Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller did not return for the third period with an apparent lower-body injury. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he will be a game-time decision on Saturday. … Wild forward Nico Sturm had three shots and two blocked shots in 13:20 of ice time in his NHL debut. … The 10 shutouts against are tied for second-most in Minnesota history. Its record is 14, which occurred during its inaugural season in 2000-01.

What's next

Bruins:Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; SN360, NESN, SUN, NHL.TV)
Wild:At the Dallas Stars on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-SW, FS-N, NHL.TV)