Preview: Bruins begin brief road trip with a visit to Dallas

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 8:30 PM

Where: American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX

How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Defending Big D

Know your enemy

• 30-14-10, 70 PTS, 1st in the Central Division
• Jason Roberston: 33G-36A-69PTS; Roope Hintz: 22G-27A-49PTS; Joe Pavelski: 14G-34A-48PTS
• Jake Oettinger: 23-7-7, 2.22 GAA, .926 save percentage

Game notes

• This is the second meeting of the season between these two teams, with the Bruins winning the first, 3-1, way back on October 25.
• Tonight caps an eight-game homestand for Dallas, a run that spans both sides of the All-Star Break. Dallas came back from the break a week ago yesterday, and is 2-1-0 since returning to action; the loss came their last time out, a 3-1 defeat against Tampa Bay on Saturday.
• Dallas has the league’s seventh-best points percentage (.648) and is 15-6-6 at home this season.
• For whatever reason, I think “offense” when I think about the Stars, and while they certainly have some firepower, their defense has propelled them this season: Dallas currently has the league’s second-best GA/G rate at 2.54. Their PK has been a large part of that, killing penalties at an 83.6% rate, third-best in the league.
• Jake Oettinger has been huge for Dallas this season, earning himself an All-Star Game nod in the process. With Linus Ullmark expected to start for the B’s, we’ll be seeing quite the goaltending match-up: Ullmark and Oettinger are 1-2 in the league (respectively) in both save percentage and GAA.
• Old pal Colin Miller is playing his first season with the Stars. He currently sports a 3G-10A-13PTS line in 52 games played this season.
• The Bruins have officially termed Jake DeBrusk “doubtful” for tonight’s game, as it looks more and more likely that he’ll return against Nashville.
• The B’s are currently hosting a “Siblings Trip” for their players, with brothers or sisters accompanying the team on their travels.

See ya tonight!