Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars: David Pastrnak and the Bruins take on Jason Robertson and the Stars

• The Boston Bruins are 1-3-1 in their last five games.
• The Dallas Stars have won two of their last three games.
• The Bruins beat the Stars 3-1 in their first meeting this season.

Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Odds

Odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook

Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Picks

• Dallas Stars beat Boston Bruins 4-3 
• Dallas Stars cover
• Over 5.5 goals

Head-to-Head: Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars

Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars Predictions

The Boston Bruins will travel south to face the Dallas Stars for the second time this season. The Bruins won the first 3-1 behind a Taylor Hall second period goal.

The Bruins are the best team in the NHL, and it is not even close. Boston leads the NHL with 83 points and has a 13-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their opponents, the Stars have 70 points and are the best team in the Western Conference. 

The Bruins have lost four of their previous five games but are still an excellent team. Boston has a top three offense and scores nearly 3.7 goals per game. They have plenty of scorers that can do it all. Defensively, they are even better and only allow 2.12 goals per game. Their defense has been on full display the last two games and has only given up four goals. Finally, we come to goaltender Linus Ullmark. I will go into Ullmark’s stats below, but I will leave you with this for now. Ullmark is statistically the best goaltender in the NHL.

The Bruins are led by David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, and Patrice Bergeron. Pastrnak leads this group with 72 points, but Marchand, Krejci, and Bergeron can also score and have at least 38 points.

Linus Ullmark will likely get the start in net for the Bruins. The 29-year-old leads the NHL with 26 wins, and his 1.90 goals against average is the best in the NHL. Ullmark is a brick wall and has been a primary contributor to Boston’s success.

On paper, the Stars are not as good as the Bruins, but they are hard to beat. Their offense ranks right outside of the top ten, and their defense is the second-best in the NHL. The Stars also have a top three goalie in Jake Oettinger. Make no mistake, the Stars have all the necessary pieces to make a Playoff run.

The Stars are led by Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, and Jamie Benn. Robertson is the best player in this group, but the other three are all talented scorers and passers.

Jake Oettinger will get the start for the Stars. Oettinger has only three goals in his previous two starts and has not allowed more than three goals since mid-January. Whenever Oettinger is playing, Dallas has a chance to win.

The Stars are playing at home and have more momentum than the Bruins, so they will win this game. Bet on Dallas.

Why Might the Boston Bruins Win?

The Bruins are the favorites but will only win if they draw penalties and limit the Stars’ shots.

The Bruins have the sixth-best power play unit in the NHL. They convert 24.6% of their opportunities and over 23% of their goals have come on the power play. It should go without saying that this unit needs to get on the ice and put at least one puck in the back of the net.

The Bruins are facing a Stars team that averages 32.1 shots per game. Those 32.1 shots result in 3.3 goals per game. The Bruins cannot let the Stars shoot that much. If they limit the Stars’ shooting, they will limit their scoring.

Why Might the Dallas Stars Win?

The Stars are the underdogs but will win if they pass to Jason Robertson and get second-chance shots.

Jason Robertson is a force on the ice for the Stars and commands a lot of attention. However, Robertson can only have an impact if his teammates give him the puck. If Robertson’s teammates hit him with the puck, he will score or set up his teammates with scoring opportunities.

The Stars will likely see Linus Ullmark in net for the Stars. Ullmark is a monster in net and leads the NHL with his .937 save percentage. However, Dallas can make life complicated for him by swarming the net and looking for second-chance shots.

Bruins Key Players: (RW) David Pastrnak

David Pastrnak has been on a tear this season. The 26-year-old has 72 points (38 goals, 34 assists) and is scoring on over 15% of his shots. The winger is performing at a very high level and has been key to Boston’s success this season.

Pastrnak must continue to set up his teammates and take the correct shots.

Stars Key Player: (LW) Jason Robertson

I have no choice but to pick Jason Robertson. Robertson had a strong year last season but has taken the NHL by storm this year. The winger plays nearly 19 minutes a game and leads his team in goals (33), assists (36), and points (69). Robertson has become a top ten player and is the most valuable player on the Stars.

Robertson must run the Dallas offense when he is on the ice. If he does, they will score at least three goals.

How to Watch Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars

• What - Boston Bruins vs Dallas Stars
• Where - American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• When - Wednesday, February 8, 8:30 PM EST
• How to Watch - NHLPP, ESPN+