Arvidsson is up to 24 goals on his resurgent season \u2014 his most since potting 26 for the Kings in 2022-23.<\/p>\n
Arvidsson\u2019s play has helped fuel the Bruins during a torturous March that included 16 games. The Bruins finished the month with 10 wins, including four straight, and have also won a league-high 28 games on home ice.<\/p>\n
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Now 43-24-8 with 94 points<\/a>, Marco Sturm\u2019s club is playing its best hockey as it surges toward the playoffs.<\/p>\n Confidence is high.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good. I think we have fun together and we put a lot of emphasis on being hard on each other and really pushing each other,\u201d said Arvidsson. \u201cSo, I think in that regard, we\u2019re really happy where we are. And like I said, we\u2019ve got a job to finish and push for a playoff [spot].\u201d <\/p>\n Tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, Elias Lindholm sniped a power-play goal just 13 seconds into the third period and the Bruins never looked back as they evened the season series with the Stars (44-19-12).<\/p>\n Henri Jokiharju (his first as Bruin) and Arvidsson added two insurance markers sandwiched around a Wyatt Johnston goal that briefly pulled the Stars within 5-3.<\/p>\n The third period was \u201chuge,\u201d according to Sturm.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good team over there. I know they\u2019re missing a few pieces, but [they\u2019re] still stacked. They\u2019ve been in the playoffs every year for a reason,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cSo, the game got close, unfortunately, in the second, but we found a way to win a big game for us tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bruins played the high-flying Stars tight 5-on-5 and Joonas Korpisalo (13 saves) was there when the Bruins needed him most. It was Korpisalo\u2019s 13th win of the season and second straight big win after beating the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres<\/a> last week in Buffalo.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so important to talk about [compacted] schedule. It\u2019s so important to have two really good goaltenders, I think, in this league. If you don\u2019t really have them, it\u2019s going to be hard,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cAnd we\u2019re very lucky this year to have two really outstanding goalies who have kept us in games, have won us games and did everything. They gave us a chance every night.\u201d<\/p>\n Nikita Zadorov was whistled for interference \u2014 never a good thing against a Dallas club ranked second in the league on the power play at 28.8 percent \u2014 but the Bruins\u2019 killers dimmed the Stars attack to the tune of zero shots.<\/p>\n Moments after Zadorov popped out of the box, his fellow Muscovite, Marat Khusnutdinov, gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n Jokiharju threw the puck to the net from the blue line. It hit a body in front and landed on Khusnutdinov\u2019s stick and he swept past Stars goalie Jake Oettinger from between the circles for his 15th goal of the season.<\/p>\n Pastrnak picked up the first of his three assists on the night \u2014 giving him a career-high 66. Pastrnak has 95 points as he closes in on his fourth straight 100-point campaign.<\/p>\n With Jason Robertson in the box for tripping Arvidsson, the Bruins mounted a furious power-play, with Pastrnak landing back-to-back bombs from the dot that Oettinger was able to get his pads on.<\/p>\n Just a few ticks after Robertson was sprung, the Bruins doubled their lead, and it was Arvidsson who potted it.<\/p>\n Arvidsson was camped at the post after getting inside position on Thomas Harley before slamming home Pastrnak\u2019s pass which slipped by Oettinger and through the blue paint.<\/p>\n Pavel Zacha, playing in his 700th career game, picked up a secondary assist on the goal.<\/p>\n The Stars turned the tables on their hosts in the second, connecting for a pair of goals from Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene to even things up heading to the third period.<\/p>\n Benn was whistled for delay of game late in the second and it carried over to the third where Lindholm\u2019s early snipe set the tone.<\/p>\n Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @globejimmcbride<\/a>.<\/p>\n