The Dallas Stars secured a dramatic 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series Saturday night, earning a spot in the second round. The comeback victory was powered by a third-period hat trick from Mikko Rantanen—ironically, a player who started the season with Colorado. After knocking his former team out of the playoffs, Rantanen made a definitive statement.
Things initially looked bleak for Dallas, as Nathan MacKinnon scored early in the third to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead. But the Stars responded with four unanswered goals, sparked by Rantanen, who single-handedly erased the deficit before Wyatt Johnston netted the go-ahead goal. Rantanen sealed the game—and his hat trick—with an empty-netter in the final seconds, igniting the home crowd at American Airlines Center.
Mikko Rantanen’s Message to Avalanche After Stars Win Game 7
The 2024–25 season has been a whirlwind for Mikko Rantanen, who began the year seemingly poised to remain a cornerstone of the Colorado Avalanche. A consistent top-six forward, Rantanen had cemented his status as one of the league’s elite goal scorers, recording at least 30 goals in each of the past five seasons—including 32 this year, despite being traded twice.
Unable to reach a long-term extension with the Avalanche, Rantanen was first dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes. However, his time in Carolina was brief, as he struggled to find his footing and the team hesitated on committing to him long-term. The Hurricanes eventually traded him to the Dallas Stars, who wasted no time signing him to an eight-year, $96 million extension, making him a centerpiece of their future.
While Rantanen scored just five goals in 20 regular season games with Dallas, he erupted in the playoff series against his former team, tallying five goals and seven assists across seven games. Reflecting on the emotional journey, Rantanen admitted that eliminating Colorado was bittersweet.
“It’s definitely emotional,” Rantanen said following Game 7. “Everything happened so fast. Just a couple of months ago, I was still with them, chasing a playoff spot. And now, here I am, facing them in a Game 7 and sending them home.”
Mikko Rantanen, Stars Turn Attention Towards Second-Round Matchup
Taking down the Avalanche was a major milestone for Rantanen, but there’s little time to dwell on the victory—he and the Stars must now shift their focus to the second round as their pursuit of the Stanley Cup continues.
With Rantanen hitting his stride and key players like Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen nearing returns, Dallas finds itself in a strong position heading into the next series. The Stars will face the winner of the Winnipeg Jets–St. Louis Blues matchup, which concludes with a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.