Bruins at Stars
THE STORY: The Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars didn't waste much time getting acquainted during their last meeting. With three fights in the game's first four seconds, Boston and Dallas used that stage to settle some old scores. The Bruins skated away with a 6-3 victory on Feb. 3, their third straight over Dallas. The Stars will look to put an end to that run - as well as the Bruins' current seven-game winning streak - when the teams meet at American Airlines Center on Saturday. All told, Boston has outscored its opponents by a 32-8 margin in the last seven games. Michael Ryder will face his former team for the first time since signing a two-year, $7 million deal in the offseason. Ryder, who leads the Stars with 14 goals this season, collected eight goals and nine assists during the Bruins' magical Stanley Cup run. “I still know guys on the team and what we went through last year was a big thing,” Ryder said. “It’s almost January now and I’m part of this team here. It’s just another hockey game (but) there’s definitely going to be a little bit of emotion involved there."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NESN, KTXA
ABOUT THE BRUINS (24-9-1): After winning just three of 10 games to begin the season, Boston has been simply sizzling as it shook off the effects of its Stanley Cup hangover. With a 2-1 overtime triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday, the Bruins have posted a 21-2-1 mark since the start of November. The goaltending tandem of Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask has backstopped the Bruins during their pronounced run. Thomas will get the start on Saturday - his first since Dec. 19.
ABOUT THE STARS (20-15-1): While Boston is streaking, Dallas has been spinning its wheels as of late. The Stars fell for the third time in four games on Thursday when it dropped a 4-1 decision to the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets. To add injury to insult, captain Brenden Morrow was hit by a puck on his left knee and departed the contest. He is questionable for Saturday's tilt. G Kari Lehtonen returned after being sidelined for a month with a groin injury. "It took me the first half of the game to get more comfortable," Lehtonen said.
OVERTIME:
1. Bruins LW Brad Marchand earned NHL's First Star of the Week honors, thanks in part of his five-point effort versus the Florida Panthers on Dec. 23. The Nova Scotia native has six goals and five assists in his last 10 contests.
2. Stars G Andrew Raycroft cleared waivers and was assigned to Texas of the American Hockey League. Rookie Richard Bachman supplanted Raycroft as Lehtonen's chief backup.