Bruins 7, Stars 3
By Stephen Hunt/The Sports Xchange
DALLAS -- Center Brad Marchand scored two goals and goaltender Tuukka Rask stopped 26 of 29 shots to help the Boston Bruins to a 7-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Defenseman Kevan Miller, left winger Loui Eriksson, center David Krejci, right winger Brett Connolly and left winger Matt Beleskey also scored for Boston, who finished its season-long six-game road trip at 4-2-0.
Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and center Patrice Bergeron each had two assists while Krejci and Connolly added a goal and an assist each for the Bruins.
Dallas led 3-1 after one period but then conceded six unanswered goals over the final 40 minutes.
Right winger Ales Hemsky, left wingers Antoine Roussel and Patrick Sharp scored for the Stars, who lost their second straight.
Stars defenseman Jason Demers had two assists. Roussel had a goal and an assist.
With Boston ahead 4-3 after two periods, Krejci added an insurance tally with a power-play goal 4:50 into the third period. Krejci's 14th goal of the season came when his wrist shot from near the Dallas blue line deflected in off the right knee of Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya.
Boston, who was an NHL-worst one-for-32 on the power play since the All-Star break, went two of seven on the power play against Dallas.
Connolly scored into an empty net with 2:44 remaining. Beleskey scored a power-play goal off a rebound with 23 seconds remaining.
Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen stopped 35 of 41 shots in a losing effort.
Dallas hit the ice with some jump in its game from the opening faceoff. Left winger and captain Jamie Benn was denied on a breakaway 1:08 into the game. Six seconds later, defenseman Jason Demers found the right post.
The Stars broke through at 11:59 of the first period when right winger Ales Hemsky beat Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask top shelf and to his short side with a wrist shot from the left circle.
Boston tied the score at 13:24 when left winger Brad Marchand scored his 29th goal of the season on a backhand.
However, the tie lasted just over two minutes as left winger Antoine Roussel helped Dallas regain the lead at 2-1 by redirecting a wrist shot by defenseman Oduya at 15:44 of the first. The goal was reviewed to determine whether Roussel's stick was at or below the crossbar when he contacted the puck, but after a short review, the goal was allowed.
Boston's Claude Julien used his coach's challenge on the goal, arguing that Rask had been interfered with before the puck crossed the goal line, but the goal stood.
NOTES: Bruins RW Tyler Randell, C Ryan Spooner (illness) and D Zach Trotman were scratched. ... Stars C Radek Faksa, D Jyrki Jokipakka and D Jamie Oleksiak were scratched. ... Boston was playing the final contest of a six-game road trip, the Bruins' longest of the season. ... Dallas is starting a stretch where four of its next five games are on home ice. ... Bruins G Tuukka Rask was starting his fourth consecutive game. ... Stars C Tyler Seguin was part of Boston's 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team before being traded to Dallas in July 2013. ... Bruins RW Loui Eriksson spent seven seasons in Dallas before being traded to Boston in the same July 2013 trade involving Seguin. ... Stars coach Lindy Ruff made morning skate on Saturday optional. ... Bruins C David Krejci was appearing in his 600th career game. ... Saturday's game marked the second and final regular-season meeting between these clubs.