The Boston Bruins walked away from Dallas with a frustrating 3-2 overtime loss on Tuesday, Oct. 20, but the defeat couldn’t completely overshadow a moment between two of the organization’s young players.
Forward Matt Poitras opened the scoring just 2:09 into the first period, converting a cross-ice feed from defenseman Frederic Brunet for his fourth goal of the season.
Poitras and Brunet have actually spent a lot of time alongside one another in the Bruins’ system, including with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League.
Now, they’re sharing the NHL spotlight.
Poitras Reflects on Special Moment With Brunet
Following Boston’s loss to the Dallas Stars, Poitras reflected on that journey and what it meant to celebrate a milestone with his longtime teammate.
“Pretty cool to score a goal from him, we’ve been playing together the last few years and kind of made our way up together,” Poitras said, according to NESN.
On the assist from Frederic Brunet: “Pretty cool to score a
The goal exemplified Boston’s up-and-coming talent.
Brunet found Poitras with a pass across the offensive zone, and the 22-year-old center hammered a one-timer past Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger to give Boston an early advantage.
Interestingly enough, both were selected in the 2022 NHL draft. Boston took Poitras in the second round with the No. 54 overall pick, while Brunet arrived in the fifth round at No. 132.
They got used to the NHL at different speeds, with Poitras garnering NHL opportunities earlier in his career as Brunet made himself known in Providence.
During the 2025-26 AHL season, Poitras registered 44 points in 69 games. Brunet, meanwhile, produced 28 points through his first 55 games that season, leading Providence defensemen in scoring at that stage.
Those contributions helped prepare both players for their current openings in Boston.
Poitras Continues to Impress Despite Bruins’ OT Loss
Tuesday’s loss stung, particularly after Boston twice held the lead against Dallas.
Mikko Rantanen scored all three goals for the Stars, completing his hat trick with a power-play winner 3:52 into overtime. Boston failed to record a shot over the final 12:43 of regulation or during the extra period.
Poitras acknowledged the frustration afterward.
“It sucks to kinda give this one away, but it was a good road trip and we had a good time with each other,” Poitras said, via NESN. “Still sucks to not get that extra point.”
The Bruins, nevertheless, finished their four-game road trip with a 3-0-1 record, collecting seven of eight possible points.
As for Poitras, the stretch demonstrated he can get the job done in his push to secure a lasting NHL role, with his opening-period goal putting his point streak at four games, a time frame during which he has recorded three goals and one assist.
After signing a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $850,000 at the NHL level in September, Poitras could finally demonstrate his value to the organization.
In the end, his growing production should help his case for a more permanent place in Boston’s lineup.
Bruins’ Poitras Gets Candid About Moment With Teammate After OT Loss in Dallas