Game Preview: Stars Look To End Two-Game Home Losing Streak Against Stingy Bruins

In rare circumstance, the Dallas Stars have lost two straight games at the American Airlines Center. This is only the second time all season and first since the last week of October in 2021. While the games were 10 days apart, lopsided losses to the Monreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals have this team looking to get out of a bit of a slump.

The loss to Washington on Friday was an example of a game where the Stars simply had nothing going. After a disallowed goal in the opening minute, Dallas was outplayed and outscored 5-0 by a hungry Capitals team.

“We had nothing going tonight, nothing, Rick Bowness said. “We played a very experienced hungry hockey club that had lost two in a row and they came in, took control of the game, and didn’t let up.”

On Sunday, the Boston Bruins will present a similar challenge. Boston is currently holding down the second Wild-Card spot in the East, and although their numbers have dropped out of the top ten this season, they always provide a heavy defensive game.

The Bruins are hot right now, riding a 7-2-1 streak in their last ten games. They recently re-signed legendary goaltender Tuukka Rask, although he will not be available Sunday as he is currently out with an injury. Instead, Linus Ullmark is expected to make his third straight start.

“We saw the other night, Washington had lost two in a row and they came in very hungry, they were on their toes right off the bat,” Bowness said. “Boston is coming in, they are a great hockey club, we know that. It’ll be the same approach, we better be on our toes from the opening faceoff. “

Boston is led by their dynamic trio, the “perfection line” of Brad Marchand (47 points), David Pastrnak (40 points), and Patrice Bergeron (33 points). They have also seen some solid play from Taylor Hall (27 points) in his first full season with the B’s.

As it has been for many teams this season, due to COVID, this will be the first time that Dallas has seen Boston since February 2020. Although he did dish out his normal chirps at his old teammates, former Bruin Tyler Seguin says at this point in his career, these games against Boston do not really feel much different than any other game.

“I haven't really thought about it much,” Seguin said. “It is obviously a lot different now, probably four or five times ago. Just another night against a really good hockey club over there.”

For Dallas, the game will serve as a reset after the ugly loss on Friday night. They will look to flip the norm, find the success they saw on their recent road trip, and assert their dominance once again on home ice.

“We are not where we need to be because we are not in a playoff spot,” Bowness said when asked about the halfway point of the season. “In order to get up into that playoff spot, we are going to have to be a lot more consistent. That is clearly the issue, that has been the issue for most of the year with these winning streaks, losing streaks. We are sitting here at 41 games, 46 points. If we do that again, that is 92 points, you are out of the playoffs.”

Lineup Updates

• Jake Oettinger will make the start tonight after Braden Holtby allowed five goals on 27 shots against his former club on Friday. Oettinger has struggled in his last home start but still holds a 9-2-0 record on home ice.

Projected Lines

Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski

Benn-Seguin-Gurianov

Kiviranta-Peterson-Radulov

Kero-Faksa-Glendening

Suter-Heiskanen

Lindell-Klingberg

Sekera-Hakanpaa

Oettinger

Holtby