DALLAS — Mikko Rantanen assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s tiebreaking power-play purpose with 3:56 left earlier than finishing a third-period hat trick with an empty-netter because the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Recreation 7 on Saturday night time to wrap up the first-round Western Convention playoff collection.
Rantanen, who was within the playoffs with Avalanche the previous seven seasons and a part of their 2022 Stanley Cup title, had his second four-point interval within the collection. He’s solely the second participant in NHL historical past to have 4 factors within the third interval of a Recreation 7.
The Stars transfer on to the second spherical to face top-seeded Winnipeg or St. Louis, who play their very own Recreation 7 on Sunday night time. The Jets would have house ice in the event that they advance, whereas Dallas would begin at house if dealing with the Blues.
Colorado had taken a 2-0 lead when Nathan MacKinnon made a brief snap shot solely 31 seconds into the third interval. It was the primary purpose he has scored in 5 Recreation 7s, however all of these are losses.
Traded twice in a six-week interval earlier this season, Rantanen scored 5 targets within the collection in opposition to his former group.
Rantanen obtained Dallas’ first purpose with 12:11 left on a shot from above the center of circles. He tied the sport at 2 with 6:14 left went he skated behind the online and took a wraparound shot that ricocheted off the skate of Avs defenseman Samuel Girard. Rantanen then sealed the win with an empty-netter with 3 seconds remaining.
