The Boston Bruins announced significant lineup changes for their upcoming game against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, with forward Pavel Zacha returning to play after missing a previous game due to injury. Zacha sustained an upper-body injury on Friday night during the Bruins' game against the Anaheim Ducks. His return was confirmed by head coach Marco Sturm following the team's game-day skate on Tuesday morning in Dallas.
Zacha's injury had sidelined him for Saturday's contest against the Los Angeles Kings, where the Bruins played shorthanded. Despite his absence and Nikita Zadorov being a healthy scratch, Boston managed a 4-1 victory. Zadorov is also slated to rejoin the lineup for Tuesday's game. According to Adam Pellerin of NESN, Coach Sturm stated that both Zacha and Zadorov would be back. Additionally, Jeremy Swayman is confirmed to start as goaltender.
Further adjustments to the team's lines were observed during the Tuesday morning skate. Belle Fraser of BostonBruins.com reported that Coach Sturm is moving JJ Peterka to the top line, where he will play alongside Zacha and David Pastrnak. Morgan Geekie will shift to the second line, joining Fraser Miinten and Marat Khusnutdinov. With Zacha and Zadorov returning, Jonathan Aspirot and Sean Kuraly will be out of the lineup for the game against the Stars.
The Bruins are concluding a successful four-game road trip, having swept their three previous games in California. This included victories over the San Jose Sharks, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Los Angeles Kings, securing six out of a possible six points on the California leg of the trip. The team now aims to finish their road trip on a high note by earning points against the Dallas Stars.
This current 2026-27 NHL season has seen the Bruins emerge as a notable surprise in the league. They enter Tuesday's game with an impressive 7-2-0 record, placing them in first position within the Atlantic Division. The team is currently on a five-game winning streak. Their strong start is particularly significant given that they achieved a 4-2-0 record during the initial six games of the season, which Charlie McAvoy missed due to suspension.
Zacha's return is viewed as a positive development, especially after the setback he experienced during the third period of the game against the Ducks. The team will also be observing how Zadorov responds to rejoining the lineup, particularly after reportedly being upset about being a healthy scratch. Tuesday night's game in Dallas is anticipated to be an interesting match as the Bruins look to cap off their road trip with a familiar and reinforced lineup.
