When a change in the schedule throws off your routine, sometimes you need an extra 20 minutes or so to wake up. Especially on a weekend. Maybe that was the case for the Minnesota Wild in Saturday’s matinee, as they won their third in a row after getting outplayed in a sleepy first period.

Facing the Eastern Conference’s worst team, in a game that wasn’t necessarily classified “must win” but was definitely in the “should win” category, Minnesota got a trio of second-period goals and a strong performance from Filip Gustavsson in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Gustavsson, who last allowed a 5-on-5 goal nearly a week ago, had 20 saves, complemented by second-period goals from Marco Rossi, Justin Brazeau and Mats Zuccarello, as the Wild’s weekslong goal-scoring drought seems to finally have passed. Freddy Gaudreau added an empty-net goal with 32.4 seconds left.

Minnesota was also boosted by the return of veteran defenseman Jonas Brodin after he had missed nine games with his latest ailment in a season that has seen him out of the lineup for multiple games four times.

“I know it’s been pretty unlucky here lately, but I hope now I can stay healthy for the rest of the season and playoffs, when the fun starts,” Brodin said. “Got some big games left, and I think the team is playing good now. It’s fun to be back and happy to get a win tonight.”

Buffalo, which has now lost 10 of its past 13 games, got 17 saves from goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a late goal from J.J. Peterka but lost both games in the Sabres’ season series with Minnesota.

The Wild survived a scoreless first period in which Buffalo was the clear aggressor, forcing Gustavsson to wake up early to make eight saves, including two of the highlight-reel variety.

“We didn’t have many, but it was like three puck management situations where we got caught in a bad area and you saw what happened. And that was kind of just the discussion that we had in between the first and second, and I thought we did a much better job,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I didn’t think it was bad in the first, but it was a great example of — we got some big saves from Gus — but it was a good example of, listen, if we’re not diligent in this area, this is what can’t happen.”

After the first intermission, the Wild wasted little time, getting a goal by Rossi in the opening minute after a pass from Yakov Trenin found Rossi all alone in the low slot, and a wrist shot beat the Buffalo goalie’s glove. It snapped a streak of 11 straight games that Rossi had been held without a goal.

“In the second period, we were really good on the forecheck. We were winning more battles. And then good things happened,” Rossi said, admitting that the scoring slump was frustrating. “You always have stretches (where) maybe it doesn’t go your way, and unfortunately it was our line. But now it’s good to be back and just try to keep rolling and, obviously, keep helping the team to win.”

Minnesota doubled its lead before the middle period’s first media timeout on a classic “crash the net” play when a bouncing puck in the crease glanced off Brazeau’s right skate and over the goal line. For Brazeau, who came over from Boston at the trade deadline in early March, it was his 11th goal of the season and first with the Wild.

Matt Boldy assisted on the Brazeau goal and on Zuccarello’s goal that made it 3-0. That gave Boldy 60 points for the third consecutive season, making him only the fourth player in franchise history to record 60-plus points in three consecutive seasons. He joins Zuccarello, Kirill Kaprizov and Mikko Koivu in that exclusive club.

With the teams skating 4 on 4 in the third, Peterka foiled Gustavsson’s bid for a second straight shutout with his second goal in as many games.

“We didn’t make ‘em pay. We could have made ‘em pay, and then we get caught on a little bit of a long shift to start the second,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said, acknowledging a missed opportunity in the first period. “Our D didn’t get off the ice. I think when you’re going back slow, we didn’t find coverage right away, didn’t get to the puck and they just kind of set the tone for the period.”

Brodin’s return meant one defenseman too many on the roster, and Declan Chisholm was a healthy scratch after playing in the previous 12 straight games and recording one assist in that stretch. The Wild also, by rule, scratched forward Liam Ohgren, who was an emergency recall for the team’s Wednesday night win over Seattle and scored his second goal of the season in the first period versus the Kraken.

After seven consecutive home games, the Wild will wear their white road sweaters for one of the rare times in March, visiting Dallas on Monday evening for their third of four head-to-head meetings this season.

Each team has won a game on the other’s home ice thus far.