Mikko Rantanen led the charge with a third-period hat trick, as the Dallas Stars came back from a 2-0 hole in the final 20 minutes to stun the Colorado Avalanche and take Game 7 by a score of 4-2.
Related: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Hub
Wyatt Johnston also scored for the Stars, while Jake Oettinger made 25 saves.
Josh Manson and Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 15 saves.
Game Recap
The first period was tight checking and played close to the vest for both teams, as is expected in the opening 20 minutes of a Game 7. The Avalanche outshot the Stars 5-4 and killed off an early holding penalty against Parker Kelly. The Stars killed off a double-minor on Jamie Benn for cross-checking Valeri Nichushkin in the face.
The Avalanche broke the scoreless tie on a shorthanded 2-on-1 at 9:50 of the second period. After the Stars turned the puck over on an offensive zone entry, Logan O’Connor led a 2-on-1 rush and found Manson breaking in on the right side. After Manson hit the post, the puck bounced off Oettinger and trickled into the net.
31 seconds into the third, MacKinnon jumped off the bench as the extra attacker and put the puck past Oettinger for the 2-0 lead.
At 7:49, the chaos ensued. Rantanen sniped a wrist shot off the crossbar and into the night from the high slot to put the Stars on the board.
Rantanen tied the game 2-2 on a wrap-around goal on the power play that deflected off Sam Girard’s skate and into the wide-open net.
The Stars took the game over for good with another power-play goal, this time off the stick of Johnston, who finished off a perfect cross-crease pass from Matt Duchene.
In pure, poetic fashion, Rantanen completed the third-period hat trick with an empty net goal in the dying seconds of the game.
The Avalanche outshot the Stars 27-19 and went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Stars went 2-for-4 with the man advantage.
Up Next
The Stars head to Round 2 and will take on the winner of Sunday night’s Game 7 between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues.
