Mikko Rantanen’s Stunning Hat Trick Leaves Avalanche Reeling-But That’s Not the Whole Story

In a dramatic Game 7 showdown, Mikko Rantanen delivered a performance for the ages, scoring a third-period hat trick and notching an assist to lead the Dallas Stars to a 4-2 comeback victory over the Colorado Avalanche. The win sends Dallas to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they await either Winnipeg or St. Louis

Rantanen, facing his former team after a midseason trade, erased a 2-0 Avalanche lead with two quick goals, tying the game and shifting momentum. Wyatt Johnston then broke the deadlock, firing home a power-play goal with just under four minutes left to put Dallas ahead for good Rantanen capped his night with an empty-netter, securing his place in NHL history as only the second player ever to record four points in the third period of a Game 7

For Colorado, Josh Manson opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal, and Nathan MacKinnon added another early in the third, but the Avalanche could not withstand Dallas’ relentless surge The Stars now look ahead, while the Avalanche face a long offseason after a gut-wrenching defeat.