If it didn’t happen Saturday night, the next opportunity wasn’t coming until December.

Search the annals of the Boston Bruins and you’d have to go back some to find the last time the franchise went deeper into starting a season before winning two consecutive home games.

When the Bruins took down the Minnesota Wild Thursday night, they were again presented that opportunity, given their next home game is the day after Thanksgiving – and the last at TD Garden in November.

The rebuilding Leafs under new head coach Mike Babcock began the season with two wins in their first 14 games. But Babcock’s multi-year mega deal to make the Leafs a contender is taking roots. Into Saturday night, Toronto was 5-0-1 in its last six and goalie James Reimer 5-0-0 his last five starts.

Claude Julien and Babcock were coaches on the 2014 gold-medal-winning Canadian Olympic Team; they will reunite this summer for the World Cup Tournament.

Tuukka Rask was back in net after Tuesday’s loss to San Jose. Rask coughed up five goals in the first 13 shots before shutting down the Sharks the rest of that game. Jonas Gustavsson was between the pipes Thursday night in the 4-2 win against the Wild.

Rask owned the Leafs with a lifetime 11-3-1 mark and a 1.85 GAA. His stats so far this season: 5-7-1 and a 3.18 GAA.

“Mike is always very well prepared,” Claude Julien said about Babcock. “When he takes on a task he takes it seriously. He’s as competitive as the players.”

Babcock, Reimer and company were quite prepared Saturday night, but in the playoff-type contest with but two penalties and two icings, Zdeno Chara drilled a 20-footer past Reimer at 16:17. Brad Marchand added the empty-netter with six ticks remaining.

Here’s what we learned.

 Finally, the see-saw ride at home ends — for now

Two straight home wins for the first time this season.

“I think we had to work really hard to get this one,” Julien said.

“I mean it’s a way to win and wins are always good,” Chara said postgame. “And it’s a good feeling especially when you win the game the way we did, playing strong for 60 and staying patient and waiting for our chances.”

 Rask bounces back in goaltender duel

Toronto had only seven shots in the first period, but the best scoring chance for both teams was Shawn Mathias’s clean – but failed — breakaway on Rask 12 minutes into the first period. Four minutes into the second, Mathias again fanned on the backhand on a clean break in. A minute later another stoning by Rask, this time Michael Grabner’s one-on-one backhander.

By midway through the game, Boston had outshot Toronto, 20-10, but the Leafs had more quality scoring opps.

In the end it was Rask who prevailed as the No. 2 star of the game behind Chara.

“Tuukka was huge for us, especially in the second period,” Chara added. “He made some really big saves. You know, there was not much special teams out there so most of the game was five on five and a lot of battles.

“It’s frustrating,” Mathias said about his missed opportunites. “I mean, I just overthought it. The first one got in my head and then tried to change things up. A lot of shots, a lot of chances for some other guys too.”

Marchand’s penchant for untimely penalties persists

 The Bruins have a 7-1 mark when Brad Marchand scores a point – make that 8-1 — but he still persists in taking bad penalties. His two for roughing — make that mugging — James Van Riemsdyk at 15:16 of the first period gave the Leafs an unnecessary power play in what would be a one-goal game.

While Boston’s 30^th ranked penalty kill was effective, it brought Marchand’s season total to a team-high 35 penalty minutes.

Spooner, Connolly, Kemppainen a new combo for Julien?

Boston’s coach shifted Ryan Spooner from center to right wing with Brett between him and Joonas Kemppainen.

“All three of them played pretty well,” Julien said while detailing each role in the win.

That Thanksgiving playoff fact is looming

 The Black and Gold play next week at Toronto and Detroit before Turkey Day. That’s a key day in NHL calendar related to playoff hopes. Statistically, some 75 percent of teams not in a playoff position on Thanksgiving are headed home after the regular season ends.

After Saturday’s win, the Bruins have 21 points, good for ninth among the 16 Eastern Conference teams; eight make the playoffs.

“We’ve tracked in the past,” Claude Julien said back on October 1, “and by Thanksgiving, if you’re in the playoff picture, generally by the end of the year, you’re still going to be in the playoff picture. But this year we have a lot of younger players. I think we’ll see the team improve over the course of the season.”

“You’re always careful about saying build on,” Julien said Saturday night. “I think we’re, we keep using the word consistency. We’ve just got to keep trying to play the same way night after night. If we play that way every night, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win. So it’s about trying to bring that on a consistent basis.”

Hopefully into late November — and well beyond.