Bruins vs Stars Preview: Boston Chases Sixth Straight Win in Dallas

The Boston Bruins close out their four-game road trip on Tuesday, October 20, when they face the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Boston arrives at 7-2-0 on a five-game winning streak after sweeping California, while Dallas enters at 4-3-1 on a two-game winning streak of its own. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.





How did the Bruins sweep California on this road trip?


The Boston Bruins finished the California portion of the road trip with a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles scored 31 seconds into the game through Alex Laferriere, but David Pastrnak tied the game 1-1 at 2:43 of the second period with his fourth goal of the season.


Marat Khusnutdinov scored the game-winning goal with 6:24 left in the third period, cleaning up a rebound after Morgan Geekie's shot. Elias Lindholm and JJ Peterka added empty-net goals, and Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves for the Boston Bruins. The win followed a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.


David Pastrnak has a goal and an assist in each of the last two games for the Boston Bruins. Pastrnak now leads Boston in assists this season, and his point streak has reached five games during the Bruins' winning streak.





Why has Dallas been a difficult trip for Boston?


The Boston Bruins have not won in Dallas since the 2023-24 season. Boston lost 6-2 in Dallas last season and 7-2 in Dallas two seasons ago, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub, so American Airlines Center has produced two of the Bruins' heaviest road defeats in recent years.


The Dallas Stars make the building difficult in a different way this season. Dallas allows the fewest goals per game in the league at 1.3, and goaltender Jake Oettinger owns a .957 save percentage. Jeremy Swayman counters for Boston with a .933 save percentage and a league-leading sixth win already this season.





Who is in and who is out for Bruins vs Stars?


Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury after missing the Los Angeles Kings game. With Pavel Zacha out on Saturday, Fraser Minten centered Boston's top line with Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak, Matthew Poitras centered the second line, and Sean Kuraly returned on the fourth line.


Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov was a healthy scratch against Los Angeles after taking three minor penalties against Anaheim. Jonathan Aspirot replaced Nikita Zadorov and recorded five hits and three blocked shots in 17:58 of ice time. Head coach Marco Sturm has not confirmed whether Zadorov returns against Dallas.


The Dallas Stars are without center Matt Duchene, who is out with an abdomen injury, center Oskar Back, who is out with a finger injury, and center Cameron Hughes, who is out with an upper-body injury. Dallas is coached by Glen Gulutzan, and forward Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars in assists, while Jamie Benn captains the team.





How to watch Bruins vs Stars on Tuesday night


Fans asking how to watch Bruins vs Stars can find the game nationally on ESPN. The Bruins vs Stars start time is 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 20, from American Airlines Center in Dallas. After Tuesday, Boston returns home, while Dallas stays at American Airlines Center to host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, October 22.


Frequently asked questions


When is the Bruins vs Stars game?

The Boston Bruins play the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Puck drop is 8 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.


What is the Boston Bruins' record and winning streak?

The Boston Bruins are 7-2-0 and have won five straight games. The streak includes the California sweep over Anaheim and Los Angeles.


Is Pavel Zacha playing against the Dallas Stars?

Pavel Zacha is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Boston ruled Pavel Zacha out against Los Angeles, and his status for Dallas was unconfirmed at publication.


Sources:

https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-beat-kings-4-1-sweep-california-road-trip

https://985thesportshub.com/2026/10/18/bruins-kings-recap-marat-khusnutdinov-goal/

https://bleacherreport.com/game/boston-bruins-vs-dallas-stars-2026-10-20-18-00

Location: Boston, MA

Latest News

Loading latest stories…

Popular posts from this blog

Bruins Chase Fifth Straight Win Tonight Against Winless Kings

Image
The Boston Bruins are red hot, and they get another late night in Los Angeles tonight with a chance to make it five straight wins. The Bruins (6-2-0) visit the Los Angeles Kings (0-3-2) at Crypto.com Arena with puck drop set for 9 p.m. ET on NESN. Boston is riding a four-game winning streak after Friday night's 4-2 comeback over the Anaheim Ducks, where the Bruins trailed 2-0 before scoring four unanswered goals. Tonight is the third stop on a four-game road trip, and the Bruins have won both games so far on the trip. Swayman Returns to the Crease Jeremy Swayman is expected to start in net after Michael DiPietro earned his first NHL win on Friday in Anaheim, per NHL.com. Swayman has been excellent to open the season, going 5-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Offensively, Boston keeps rolling through captain David Pastrnak. His third goal of the season Friday gave him 423 for his career, passing Brad Marchand for fourth on the Bruins' all-time goa...
Read more

Bruins Rally Past Ducks 4-2: Lindholm, Pastrnak Spark Comeback

Image
The Boston Bruins stormed back from a two-goal first-period deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Friday night at Honda Center, scoring four unanswered goals -- three on the power play -- to extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 6-2-0 on the season. Bruins Erase 2-0 Hole in Anaheim The night started badly for Boston. Tim Washe opened the scoring with 37.3 seconds left in the first period, sliding a long wrist shot through a screen and through Michael DiPietro's legs. Just 21 seconds later, Beckett Sennecke finished a slick passing play -- Cutter Gauthier touching it to Nikita Nesterenko, who fed Sennecke for the redirect at the far post -- to make it 2-0. Sennecke's tally was his fifth of the season. Anaheim controlled the opening 20 minutes, but the Ducks went into a shell. They managed only four shots on goal in the third period and were blanked on five power-play chances after entering the night with the league's second-best power play at 33.3 perce...
Read more

Red Sox Release Catcher Juan Montero After Six Years

Image
The Boston Red Sox have quietly begun their offseason housecleaning. The Worcester Red Sox released catcher Juan Montero earlier this week, ending the 24-year-old’s six-year run in the organization, according to the minor-league transactions log reflected on his official MiLB.com profile. The move was first reported Saturday. A Quiet End to a Six-Year Run Montero made his professional debut in 2021 and spent six seasons in the Red Sox farm system as a defense-first backstop. His profile was exactly that of a minor-league glove man: a solid defensive reputation tempered by limited offense and availability. Across 446 minor-league plate appearances, he slashed .209/.337/.302 with two home runs, 38 RBI and 122 strikeouts. The release clears a roster spot in Triple-A Worcester and signals that Montero was no longer part of the organization’s catching-depth plans. For Montero, it opens the door to free agency and a chance to catch on with another club before spring training. At 24, he remai...
Read more

Red Sox Land Three 2026 Gold Glove Finalists

Image
The Boston Red Sox may have fallen short in the Wild Card round, but their defense earned league-wide recognition this week. On Wednesday, Rawlings announced the 2026 Gold Glove Award finalists, and three Red Sox players made the cut: right fielder Wilyer Abreu, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and third baseman Caleb Durbin. Abreu Eyes a Third Straight Gold Glove Abreu is the headliner of the trio. The right fielder has won the award in each of the last two seasons, and the 2026 numbers suggest he remains the class of the position. He led all major league outfielders with 28 defensive runs saved and paced all right fielders with 13 assists. The competition in right field includes Toronto's Nathan Lukes and Houston's Cam Smith, but Abreu's track record and run-prevention totals make him a strong candidate to capture a third consecutive trophy. He also posted a career-best 24 home runs and 76 RBIs at the plate, rounding out one of the best all-around seasons of any Red Sox p...
Read more

Red Sox Trade Rumors: Padres 'Love' Jarren Duran, Says Heyman

Image
Jarren Duran's time in Boston could be running out. MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on the Bleacher Report app this week that if the Red Sox trade Duran this offseason, it will "probably be to the Padres because they love him." The Athletic's Dennis Lin added fuel, reporting that Boston and San Diego have had recent trade discussions centered on the 30-year-old outfielder, per multiple reports. There is no indication a deal is imminent, but the league-wide interest is real: several clubs have reached out to the Red Sox front office about Duran's availability. Why Duran Could Be On The Move The 2026 season was the worst of Duran's career. The former All-Star batted just .207 with a .627 OPS across 151 games, making him one of the least productive qualified hitters in baseball. That is a stunning fall from his 9.0-bWAR breakout campaign in 2024, and his production has now declined two straight years, from 4.9 bWAR in 2025 to 0.4 this season....
Read more

Red Sox's Willson Contreras Fumes After Brother Snubbed for NLCS MVP

Image
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras made his feelings about the National League Championship Series MVP vote crystal clear Thursday night — then quickly tried to take it back. A Family Feud Ignites After the Pennant Shortly after the Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to win their first pennant since 1982, Contreras took to Instagram to argue that his brother William — Milwaukee's star catcher — deserved the NLCS MVP award over teammate Jake Bauers. In a series of three now-deleted Instagram stories, Contreras posted a photo of his brother wearing a crown with the caption "THE REAL MVP," followed by a screenshot of William's postseason numbers captioned "Numbers don't lie." A third story carried the pointed line, "Tell me where you are from, and I'll give you the MVP," which many interpreted as an accusation of bias in the voting. Per reports from EssentiallySports and albat.com, Contrer...
Read more

Patriots Get Christian Gonzalez Back for Week 6 Jets Showdown

Image
The New England Patriots will have their top cornerback back for Sunday’s AFC East showdown with the New York Jets. Christian Gonzalez is off the team’s injury report and is expected to play at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, giving head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense its most important piece back at exactly the right time. Gonzalez injured his shoulder in the Patriots’ Week 3 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and has missed the last two games, against the Bills and the Raiders. He returned to practice this week, was listed as limited on Wednesday, and was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday — a clear sign he is ready to go. The All-Pro corner had vowed earlier in the week that he would be ready for the Jets game, and he will now suit up for his fourth game of the season following his blockbuster offseason extension. A Thin Secondary Gets Its Anchor Back Gonzalez’s return could not come at a better time for a banged-up Patriots secondary. Starting cornerback Carlton Davis III (...
Read more

Poitras Breaking Out: Bruins' Young Center Shines in New Role

Image
Poitras Breaking Out: Bruins' Young Center Shines in New Role The Boston Bruins are off to a 6-2-0 start and sitting atop the Atlantic Division, and one of the most unexpected drivers of the surge is a 22-year-old center playing fourth-line minutes. Matthew Poitras, the Bruins' 2022 second-round pick, has three goals and one assist through five games — after scoring just seven goals across his first three NHL seasons — giving Boston the secondary scoring it desperately needed. Poitras finished off Friday's 4-2 comeback win over the Anaheim Ducks with the insurance goal, burying a two-on-one rush set up by James Hagens late in the third period. He is a plus-3 with eight shots on goal, and the Bruins are 4-1 in games he has played as the fourth-line center. Fourth-Line Role, First-Rate Production Poitras opened the season buried on the depth chart behind Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten and Elias Lindholm, yet he has turned limited ice time into efficient finishing and a high-motor...
Read more