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A breakaway save on
Jamie Benn just seconds into the first period proved to be the start Boston netminder
Tuukka Rask needed, as the Bruins rallied around the reigning Vezina’s 36-save performance and beat the Dallas Stars by way of a 3-1 comeback at American Airlines Center.
Dallas would score first behind
Vern Fiddler’s backhanded strike through Rask at the 6:46 mark of the second period. The goal was Fiddler’s sixth of the season, and goal No. 83 of Fiddler’s NHL career, which hit the 700-game marker with his skates touching the ice in this one.
Weathering the Stars’ storm in the Boston end, a favorable bounce out of the Boston end sent a charging
Chris Kelly towards the puck, to the slot (and to
Carl Soderberg’s stick), and then backhanded to
Loui Eriksson, who ripped home his 11th goal of the season.
It was an absolutely beautiful goal from the Bruins’ third line -- which has become their most consistent scoring line through the halfway point -- and showed off all three parts of what’s made that line so successful. It begins with Kelly, who has been one of the B’s top skaters along the walls all year, racing to the loose puck, and saucering the puck out to Soderberg. Then, Soderberg, a skater that’ll make his millions this summer -- be it with the Bruins or elsewhere -- made everything happen with some serious deception that straight-up fooled the Stars’
Kari Lehtonen. And Eriksson wasted no in blasting the puck home.
Gregory Campbell’s first goal since Dec. 29, and just his second in the last 20 games, came just over four minutes later, and gave the Bruins a 2-1 edge through 40 minutes of play.
The Bruins added a third goal behind
Dougie Hamilton’s power-play snipe (with some help from a great net-front screen by Soderberg), and hung on to keep the Stars off the scoreboard in the third, with some help from the iron behind Rask as both
Tyler Seguin and
Colton Sceviour hit the post.
In an effort headlined by strong special teams play from the Black and Gold -- the Bruins went 1-for-4 on the man advantage and went a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill -- the B’s pushed their recent surge to six wins in their last seven contests, and have nabbed points in nine of their last 10.
Random thoughts and notes
- In just his third pro season (and his second 82-game year), the 21-year-old Dougie Hamilton continues to emerge as a strong two-way option for the Bruins. But one of Hamilton’s best assets in 2014-15-- his shot. It’s not going to dent a net like Zdeno Chara’s blast, of course, but it’s proving to be just as effective. In fact, I’d make the case that Hamilton’s shot has become even more of a weapon than Chara’s bomb. Obviously, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Chara has moved to the front of the net on the power play on the first unit whereas Hamilton works the point on the second unit. Even at even-strength, though, I think that Hamilton has done a marvelous job of finding open space to get his accurate wrister on net (and by goaltenders).
- Former Boston Bruin Tyler Seguin had 17 shot attempts in this one. 17. That’s insane. Everybody has their opinions on the trade, no doubt, but it’s been fun (if that’s even the right word) to watch the former No. 2 overall pick grow into his own as a top-line center for the Stars. Though the trade will be questioned for the next two decades, it’s a move that I think Seguin really needed to grow into the pro he is today. Read as: I really don’t think that Seguin would come anywhere near these figures with the Bruins.
- Two third-period shifts for
David Pastrnak. Right or wrong, the Bruins didn’t seem to trust the 18-year-old when it came to defending a one or two-goal lead against the high-powered Stars. You could and should expect to see more of that when the Bruins are protecting leads, too. But this could have gone beyond defensive issues as a teenager in a league of men. Pastrnak didn’t exactly blow the doors off the rink, and I don’t think he did against Columbus, either, and this could be Claude Julien trying to send an early message that he expects more from both Pastrnak and his centerman,
David Krejci.
- On a night with about a billion shot attempts for the Stars, you’d have to bet the icepacks were on the double for both
Adam McQuaid and
Kevan Miller, who each blocked four shots in the win. D-man
Dennis Seidenberg and forward
Chris Kelly were behind them with three each.
- I can't resist.
You don't wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I'm a loner, HockeyBuzz. A rebel.
Up next
The Bruins finish their pre All-Star break schedule with a Wednesday night showdown with the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche took the prior meeting between the two by a 2-1 final on a last-second goal by
Danny Briere back on Oct. 13. Colorado has points in seven of their last 10 (5-3-2), and find themselves trailing Calgary for the second wild card spot by just five points.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com
Boston Bruins Blogger •Bruins Feature Columnist • 
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