David Pastrnak logged a goal and an assist while Taylor Hall scored the winner with 1:03 left in the second period as the Boston Bruins edged the visiting Dallas Stars 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Patrice Bergeron also lit the lamp for Boston, which has won three straight and is 5-0-0 on home ice and 4-0-0 against Western Conference teams so far this season.
Linus Ullmark (30 saves) prevailed in the battle of previously unblemished goaltenders, earning his fifth win in as many starts. He stopped all 11 shots he faced in the first period and all 10 in the third.
Wyatt Johnston scored the lone goal and Boston University product Jake Oettinger made 26 saves for Dallas. Oettinger was 4-0-0 to begin the night.
The Stars have lost back-to-back games since starting 4-0-1, including a 4-2 setback on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. They went 0-for-3 on the power play in both defeats.
Dallas played Tuesday without defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who is day-to-day due to an upper-body injury.
At the 12:49 mark of the first period, Pastrnak’s fifth goal of the young season put the hosts on top. Hampus Lindholm set up Pastrnak — stationed all alone in the left circle — for a one-timer on Boston’s third power play of the opening period.
Just seconds after Boston’s Trent Frederic corralled a loose rebound and hit the goal post behind Oettinger, the Stars tied the game 1:48 into the second period as a defensive breakdown left the 19-year-old Johnston open outside the crease with an open net.
With goals in back-to-back games, Johnston became the third teenager to record a multi-game goal streak for the Stars since they relocated to Dallas.
The Bruins took the lead for good with 1:03 left in the middle frame. Hall netted his third goal in as many games, sending a one-time shot from a sharp angle in the right circle past Oettinger’s blocker. David Krejci provided net-front presence on the goal that was set up by Pastrnak.
Bergeron’s empty-net goal with 26.3 seconds left secured the win.
Pastrnak (five), Hall and Bergeron (four apiece) are the Bruins’ top goal scorers through seven games.
–Field Level Media
