Stars ignite offense, overcoming illness and a strong Bruins squad. Power play clicks as Dallas dominates to snap their losing streak.
The Dallas Stars are still on their free fall since the end of December, while the Boston Bruins are on a six-game win streak. Before the game, the team realized their chances of snapping their lose streak would even harder, with the announcement that Mikko Rantanen would be out due to illness.
The first period was a special teams show for both teams. The Bruins had a parade of players going to the penalty box with three penalties, the Stars committed one infraction themselves. As well as Nathan Bastian and Jonathan Aspirot earning five minutes for fighting. The struggling power-play for the Stars was able to convert on two of their three chances.
Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) and defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) and center Oskar Back (10) and left wing Jamie Benn (14) celebrates a goal scored by Lindell against the Boston Bruins during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesWyatt Johnston notches his 26th goal of the season after a tic-tac-toe feed from Roope Hintz. The 22 year-old is on pace to shatter his current season high for goals (33). The second conversion was from Mavrik Bourque, who was robbed on his first attempt by a diving Jeremy Swayman. Bourque was able to keep up with his rebound, a banked in off of Aspirot for his eighth of the season.
The second frame looked much different than the first period, with no penalties called. The Stars continued to dominate the play, putting up another 17 shots on goal. They had several dangerous attempts, and finally got rewarded in the dying minute of the period. Justin Hryckowian gets a greasy goal that leaks under Swayman as he lays flat. The goal was originally not called on the ice, but upon further review, it was very clearly a goal. The period ends with a score of 4-0, Dallas.
The goals did not stop raining down for the Stars in the third period. Jason Robertson tallies his 28th and 29th goal of the season in the first several minutes. After the sixth goal, Boston pulled Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo took over in net. Jake Oettinger's shut out bid was snapped with 7:49 left in the third period. Morgan Geekie scored on a power-play after Esa Lindell gets called for interference on Elias Lindholm.
The Bruins decided not to go down without a fight in the last half of the third period. A little over three minutes after the Geekie goal, Fraser Minten gets Boston on the board again to make it 6-2. That would do it for this meeting. These two meet again in March and the Stars get just their third win of January.
The Stars get one day off before heading to Columbus for the first game of an away then home back-to-back.
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