The Dallas Stars didn’t just snap the Boston Bruins’ six-game win streak Tuesday night-they ripped it apart with a 6-2 statement win at American Airlines Center. Behind a two-goal performance from Jason Robertson and a total team effort that checked every box, the Stars looked every bit like a team ready to make a deep run.
Let’s start with Robertson, who continues to find his stride at the right time. He opened his account with a wraparound that caught the Bruins off guard early in the third, then followed it up with a laser of a snap shot for his 29th goal of the season. That second tally capped off a dominant stretch for Dallas, who built a 6-0 lead before Boston finally broke through.
But this game was more than just Robertson. It was a showcase of depth and execution from top to bottom.
Rookie Justin Hryckowian had himself a night, tallying a goal and two assists, while Miro Heiskanen quietly orchestrated the offense with three assists of his own. Mavrik Bourque added a goal and an assist, and both Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley chipped in with two assists apiece.
What made this performance even more impressive? Dallas was without Mikko Rantanen, their leading scorer, who missed the game due to illness. And yet, the Stars didn’t just survive-they thrived.
They came out firing from the start, outshooting the Bruins 32-11 through two periods and suffocating Boston’s attack with relentless puck pressure and smart positioning. Wyatt Johnston opened the scoring with his 26th of the season-and league-leading 16th on the power play-on a textbook one-timer from the left circle, courtesy of a slick feed from Hintz.
Bourque followed that up with another power-play goal late in the first, cleaning up his own rebound after an initial highlight-reel save from Jeremy Swayman. From there, the Stars just kept coming.
Esa Lindell made it 3-0 midway through the second with a one-timer from the point, and Hryckowian added a fourth just before intermission-though not without a little drama. His goal was initially waved off for a kicking motion, but a video review revealed that the puck had actually deflected off Boston’s Mark Kastelic’s stick before crossing the line. The goal stood, and the rout was on.
Swayman, who had been rock-solid during Boston’s win streak, didn’t have his best night. He gave up six goals on 34 shots before being pulled just over six minutes into the third period. Joonas Korpisalo came in for relief, stopping all three shots he faced, but the damage was already done.
To Boston’s credit, they didn’t go down completely quietly. Morgan Geekie got the Bruins on the board with a power-play deflection that ended a 12-game goal drought, and Fraser Minten added a spinning backhand later in the third. But those goals were little more than window dressing on a night that belonged to Dallas.
After the game, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm didn’t mince words.
“We were pretty much chasing the game right from the hop,” he said. “Against a team like that, it’s going to be hard.”
He’s not wrong. The Stars played like a playoff team-structured, physical, and opportunistic. Even without their top scorer, they stuck to their identity and outworked a Bruins squad that had been steamrolling opponents over the past two weeks.
Sturm pointed to that contrast in style as a key takeaway.
“They’re willing to play that style of game, just grind it out and stick with it. And we didn’t do it,” he said.
“We were still playing cute right to the end. And you cannot play that way.”
This one’s going to sting for Boston, but it might also serve as a needed gut check. As Swayman put it: “It’s hard to be punched in the mouth, but it’s important.
It’s a long season. It’s our job to get out of it.”
For Dallas, this wasn’t just a win-it was a reminder of what they’re capable of when their depth shows up and their stars shine. If this is the version of the Stars we’re going to see down the stretch, the Western Conference better be paying attention.