Need to Know: Bruins vs. Stars

BOSTON - The Bruins return home on Monday night for a tilt with the Dallas Stars, as they look to get back in the win column with some tweaks to the second and third lines.
In an effort to trigger some offense from his middle two trios, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy moved Joakim Nordstrom up to the second-line left wing spot, while shifting David Backes back into the middle and Danton Heinen to the left on the third line.

"I like the way it looked on our last homestand," said Cassidy, whose team pumped in 18 goals during a three-game home swing in early October with similar line combinations. "[Jake] DeBrusk, [David] Krejci, and Nordstrom - speed on both wings. Control a bit more of the matchup - Backs was with [Ryan] Donato and [Anders] Bjork before, now it's Heinen, Bjork.
"They've played together, Backs and Heinen. So I think, ideally, if we can capture a bit of that third line success they had in the past…that's what was behind it - keeping the first [line] and [Sean] Kuraly line alone. We'll see how it goes. We've done a few other things, but that's how we'll start."

Backes had been tabbed as the third-line center before he was sidelined for five games with an upper-body injury suffered in Edmonton on Oct. 18. He returned as the third-line right wing on Saturday night in Nashville.
"It's more of a mentality switch," Backes said of moving back to the middle. "I think there are certain little nuances that are coming along. I think I played more [center] the beginning of this season than I had the rest of my time here in Boston. I'm feeling a little bit more comfortable."
After being shut out in two of their last three games, Cassidy is hoping the switches up front can spark his forward group.
"That's obviously a natural thing, you think a little too much before you shoot," said Jake DeBrusk. "Guys grip their sticks. Just gotta focus and bear down when we get our chances. It's not like they haven't been there, it's just a matter of executing."

Tuukka Time

Cassidy confirmed that Tuukka Rask will be back between the pipes after Jaroslav Halak started the last two games. Rask is 3-3-0 with a 3.15 goals against average and .902 save percentage this season.
"Tuukka's worked hard in practice with Goalie Bob and hopefully it results in a strong performance in nets," said Cassidy. "It's Tuukka's turn tonight and we'll see how that plays out. We have five games in basically eight days, so we knew we'd use both. That's how we're gonna start it this week, anyway."

Grzelcyk Game-Time

Matt Grzelcyk, who has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, took part in morning skate and was termed a game-time decision by Cassidy, who said, "there's a chance [he plays]."

Blidh Recalled

Anton Blidh was recalled from Providence on Monday morning but is unlikely to play tonight. According to Cassidy, the move was precautionary due to a lower-body injury to Chris Wagner, which does not appear will keep him out of the lineup.

Opposing View

The Stars come to TD Garden playing some strong hockey, having won three straight and five of their last six. Overall, Dallas is 8-5-0 and sits a point back of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Old friend Tyler Seguin paces the Stars with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 13 games, while Jamie Benn leads the way with 6 goals. Defenseman John Klingberg brings the offense from the back end with 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists).
"They're a high-potent team," said DeBrusk. "They've got good forwards. They play a run-and-gun style, so we've got to be playing good in their system and just bearing down on chances that we'll get…we've got to be aware of their defensemen joining the rush, kind of similar to Nashville in that way. It should be a fun and exciting game."
Former Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin will get the start between the pipes for Dallas. Khudobin is 2-1-0 with a 2.35 goals against average and .923 save percentage this season.

Wait, There's More

• Monday is Military Appreciation Night at TD Garden.
• Members of the Boston Red Sox will be in attendance at TD Garden tonight for a pregame ceremony honoring their World Series championship.
• The Bruins open up a four-game homestand on Monday night against the Stars. Boston also hosts Vancouver (Thursday), Toronto (Saturday), and Vegas (Sunday).
• The Bruins and Stars are meeting for the 138th time in their histories (including the Minnesota North Stars). Boston holds a 80-30-23-4 edge and is 9-3-2 in its last 14 games against Dallas.
• Cassidy had no updates on defensemen Charlie McAvoy (upper-body) and Urho Vaakanainen (concussion), other than to say they have not skated. "Not much new to report," said Cassidy.

Monday's Projected Lineup

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Joakim Nordstrom - David Krejci - Jake DeBrusk
Danton Heinen - David Backes - Anders Bjork
Chris Wagner - Sean Kuraly - Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara - Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug - John Moore
Jeremy Lauzon - Steven Kampfer
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak