In Dallas, Mikko Rantanen helped secure Wyatt Johnston’s power play goal with just under four minutes left, leading the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 on Saturday night. This win wrapped up the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, and Rantanen completed his hat trick with an empty net goal.
Rantanen, who has been with the Avalanche for the past seven seasons and was part of their 2022 Stanley Cup win, notched his second four-point game of the series. Remarkably, he became only the second player in NHL history to achieve four points in the third period of a Game 7.
The Stars are advancing to the second round where they will face either the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets or the St. Louis Blues. If the Jets win, they’ll have home ice advantage, but if the Stars match up against the Blues, they’ll play at home.
Colorado initially surged ahead 2-0 after Nathan McKinnon scored just 31 seconds into the third period. That goal marked his first in five games, during which the team had suffered several losses.
Rantanen, who had been traded twice just six weeks before the season started, has scored five goals across this series against his former team.
Lantanen initiated the scoring for Dallas with a goal at 12:11 left in the game, firing from the slot. He tied it up at 6:14 after skating behind the net and taking a wraparound shot that ricocheted off Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard’s skate. Rantanen capped off the victory with an empty-net goal just three seconds before the final buzzer.
