DALLAS — Mikko Rantanen’s impressive playoff run took a pause but didn’t lose momentum as he continued to be a pivotal force for the Dallas Stars in the NHL second-round Western Conference series against the Winnipeg Jets. Although his record streak of being involved in consecutive goals came to an end at 13, Rantanen still played a significant role in the Stars’ 5-2 victory over the Jets, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
Rantanen has emerged as a formidable player in this postseason with nine goals and nine assists in recent matches. His performance has garnered admiration from his coach, Pete DeBoer, who remarked, “It’s the best performance I’ve got to witness, standing where I’m standing with a guy on my team for this extended period. But, you know, for me, he’s just getting started. He’s just warming up here. I think he’s on a mission.”
Starting Game 3 strong, Rantanen secured the primary assist on a Roope Hintz power-play goal just 2:27 into the first period. When Dallas later scored for a 2-1 lead with Thomas Harley’s goal, Rantanen was on the ice, though the assists were credited to Mikael Granlund and Sam Steel. Reflecting on his performance, Rantanen expressed, “I’m trying to stay in the moment. I’m happy to help the team and try to keep doing that as much as I can, both ends of the ice.”
Later, Rantanen assisted in a controversial goal that was eventually confirmed after a video review. With Dallas leading 3-2, Rantanen increased their advantage just 49 seconds after play resumed by scoring another goal. “It’s a huge pickup at the deadline,” defenseman Alexander Petrovic commented on acquiring Rantanen, who had switched teams twice before joining Dallas. “He’s been awesome for us. He’s a great guy in the room. He’s been on a tear, so it really helps.”
The record streak of Rantanen highlighted games where he had four-point periods against the Avalanche, his former team — a feat never achieved before in the playoffs or regular season. His scoring prowess began with an assist against Colorado and was followed by a series of impressive performances, including a hat trick that powered Dallas into this series.
In the first game against the Jets, Rantanen continued his scoring spree with a natural hat trick, making him only the third player in NHL history to achieve consecutive playoff hat tricks. Although the Stars suffered a shutout loss in Game 2, Rantanen’s contributions have remained crucial as the battle against the Jets unfolds.