The Dallas Stars are returning home with more than just a few bruises after a tough road trip, capped off by a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. This four-game Eastern Conference swing saw them snag only one win and an additional point from an overtime loss in Philadelphia.
To make matters worse, injuries have taken a toll, with three players sidelined, including trade deadline pickups Sam Steel and Michael Bunting, who are expected back in about ten days. Tyler Myers' return remains uncertain.
The Bruins jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first period, capitalizing on some fortunate bounces. Marat Khusnuditov opened the scoring with a quick rebound shot past Jake Oettinger.
This marked the eighth consecutive game where the Stars conceded the first goal. Boston's power play then struck, with a wide bounce finding Viktor Arvidsson, who had an easy tap-in.
In the second period, the Stars showed some fight. Jamie Benn, elevated to a line with Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen due to Bunting's absence, got Dallas on the board.
Matt Duchene then tied it up with an impressive goal, pulling the puck from the side and roofing it over Joonas Korpisalo. At 2-2, Dallas needed a strong third period to turn the tide.
However, just 13 seconds into the third, Boston regained the lead with another power play goal. The Stars' efforts to rally were thwarted when Henri Jokiharju netted his first of the season, putting Boston up 4-2. The Bruins' defense tightened, and they added an empty netter, making it 5-2.
Wyatt Johnston managed to cut the deficit with a stunning power play goal, but Arvidsson completed his hat trick with another empty netter, sealing the 6-3 victory for Boston.
With a five-game homestand ahead and only seven games left before the playoffs, the Stars need to regroup. Catching the Colorado Avalanche for first place seems out of reach, so the focus now is on regaining momentum from their earlier point streak. Next up, they face the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center.