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The Boston Bruins visit the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with puck drop set for 8:00 PM EDT.
Matchup: Boston Bruins (7-2-0, 14 points in 2026-27) at Dallas Stars (4-3-1, 9 points in 2026-27)
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Puck drop: 8:00 PM EDT (7:00 PM CDT local)
Venue: American Airlines Center
How to watch: DAL: ESPN, SN+
Boston Bruins News & Notes
Boston carried a four-game winning streak into Saturday night in Los Angeles, but did so without center Pavel Zacha, who is dealing with an upper-body injury. Head coach Marco Sturm ruled him out, and no timetable for a return has been set. Zacha missed time with a similar issue last season, leaving a Jan. 29 game against Philadelphia after 10:46 of ice time, and later lost his Olympic spot with Czechia to injury. He is in the final year of his contract.
Related Post: Marco Sturm Sets Standard Early By Scratching Nikita Zadorov from Bruins Lineup
Zacha’s absence was not the only lineup change. Sturm scratched defenseman Nikita Zadorov after he took two penalties against Frank Vatrano on Friday, with Jonathan Aspirot drawing in. Sean Kuraly entered on the fourth line, Matt Poitras centered Peterka and Khusnutdinov, and Fraser Minten moved up alongside Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak. Jeremy Swayman started in net. Boston’s blue line remains crowded following Charlie McAvoy’s return from suspension, and the club has been linked to Detroit restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson.
Dallas Stars News & Notes
Dallas added forward David Perron last week, with Elliotte Friedman first reporting the signing. The 20th NHL season awaits Perron, who split last year between Ottawa and Detroit and posted 28 points on 13 goals and 15 assists in 65 games. He was a minus-seven with three power-play goals. Perron won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019, contributing seven goals and nine assists during that run, and joins a Dallas group with Cup aspirations.
Perron arrives with 812 points on 332 goals and 480 assists across 1,239 regular-season games, plus 64 points in 110 playoff appearances, and has previously played for seven franchises, including three separate stints in St. Louis. The depth addition follows news that center Matt Duchene underwent surgery for a core injury and is expected to miss three months. Dallas split back-to-back meetings with Colorado before the signing, losing at home Tuesday and winning in a shootout the following night.
Boston Bruins Projected Lines
Line 1: JJ Peterka – Fraser Minten – David Pastrnak
Line 2: Marat Khusnutdinov – Matthew Poitras – Morgan Geekie
Line 3: Casey Mittelstadt – Elias Lindholm – James Hagens
Line 4: Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
Pair 1: Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy
Pair 2: Jonathan Aspirot – Will Borgen
Pair 3: Frederic Brunet – Mason Lohrei
Goaltenders: Jeremy Swayman – Michael DiPietro
Boston Bruins Special Teams
Power play, First unit: Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – Fraser Minten – David Pastrnak – Charlie McAvoy
Power play, Second unit: James Hagens – Casey Mittelstadt – Matthew Poitras – Frederic Brunet – JJ Peterka
Penalty kill, First unit: Sean Kuraly – Elias Lindholm – Jonathan Aspirot – Will Borgen
Penalty kill, Second unit: Mark Kastelic – Marat Khusnutdinov – Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy
Dallas Stars Projected Lines
Line 1: Sam Steel – Wyatt Johnston – Mikko Rantanen
Line 2: Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Tyler Seguin
Line 3: Justin Hryckowian – Arttu Hyry – Jamie Benn
Line 4: Joel Kiviranta – Radek Faksa – Colin Blackwell
Pair 1: Esa Lindell – Miro Heiskanen
Pair 2: Thomas Harley – Nils Lundkvist
Pair 3: Lian Bichsel – Tyler Myers
Goaltenders: Jake Oettinger – Casey DeSmith
Dallas Stars Special Teams
Power play, First unit: Wyatt Johnston – Roope Hintz – Mikko Rantanen – Miro Heiskanen – Jason Robertson
Power play, Second unit: Jamie Benn – Justin Hryckowian – Tyler Seguin – Esa Lindell – Thomas Harley
Penalty kill, First unit: Arttu Hyry – Sam Steel – Esa Lindell – Miro Heiskanen
Penalty kill, Second unit: Colin Blackwell – Joel Kiviranta – Lian Bichsel – Thomas Harley
Players To Watch
David Pastrnak — Boston Bruins
Pastrnak is coming off a goal and an assist on three shots in 20:57 last time out, and the underlying work backs it up. Box Score Junkie has him at 54.4% Corsi-for with 64.5 shot attempts per 60 this season, plus four goals on 3.1 expected. A fair shots-on-goal play.
Mikko Rantanen — Dallas Stars
Rantanen managed only one shot in his last game but still picked up an assist, and he is driving play as well as anyone here. Per Box Score Junkie, this season, he is at 60.3% Corsi-for, 67.0 shot attempts per 60, and 5.7 high-danger xG with him on the ice. Volume should return.
Injury Report
Boston Bruins
Pavel Zacha (C) — Day-To-Day, Upper Body, expected back Tuesday, October 20
Dallas Stars
Oskar Back (C) — Injured Reserve, Finger, expected back Saturday, November 14
Matt Duchene (C) — Injured Reserve, Abdomen, expected back Tuesday, January 12
Luke Krys (D) — Injured Reserve, Undisclosed, expected back Sunday, October 25
Cameron Hughes (C) — Injured Reserve, Upper Body, expected back Sunday, October 25
Next Up
Boston Bruins: host the Nashville Predators on Thursday, October 22.
Dallas Stars: host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, October 22.