Hockey

Series highlights: Mikko Rantanen scores hat trick in 3rd period to eliminate Avalanche
Mathis Therrien
Series highlights: Mikko Rantanen scores hat trick in 3rd period to eliminate Avalanche
Credit: Last night was the first game #7 of the current National Hockey League playoffs. The Dallas Stars hosted the Colorado Avalanche in a decisive game. Here are the game highlights. Mikko Rantanen breaks his former team’s hearts Since the start of the playoffs, most NHL fans agreed that this series between the Avalanche and Stars […]

Last night was the first game #7 of the current National Hockey League playoffs.

The Dallas Stars hosted the Colorado Avalanche in a decisive game.

Here are the game highlights.

Mikko Rantanen breaks his former team's hearts

Since the start of the playoffs, most NHL fans agreed that this series between the Avalanche and Stars would probably be the best one yet, as well as the one that would decide which Western team would advance to the finals.

Seven games later, I'm among those who still believe the same thing, as I see the winner of this series in the final.

So it was an extremely important game last night, with one team advancing to the next round, and the other going home as the season's big disappointment.

With the Stars at home, you'd think they'd have some advantage, but it was the Avalanche who had the upper hand in the first two periods, and even early in the third.

Indeed, even though the game was very close and few shots were registered on either side, the Avalanche managed to build a two-goal lead,

Josh Manson opened the scoring on a shorthanded goal midway through the second period.

Nathan MacKinnon then added to his tally early in the third period with a goal to make the difference.

At this point, the Avalanche looked to be on their way to a fairly easy victory, as they continued to control the game and quietly run out the clock.

However, one particular player had other plans.

A certain Mikko Rantanen, former Avalanche star, decided to take matters into his own hands and bring the Stars back into the game by hurting his former teammates and fans.

The Finn scored back-to-back goals to bring everyone back to square one.

And as if that wasn't enough, just as the game seemed to be heading into overtime, Rantanen added to it by picking up an assist on the Stars' third goal, Wyatt Johnston's, on a power play, caused by a VERY bad Jaxk Drury penalty.

The atmosphere in Dallas was nothing short of electric, as fans went from worried to ecstatic in less than ten minutes.

No matter how hard the Avalanche tried to tie the score, they couldn't find the back of the net by pulling their goalie.

To make matters worse for the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen completed his hat trick in the empty net.

What an incredible turnaround in the third period, as the Stars eventually pulled away with a 4-2 win to advance to the next round.

Mikko Rantanen's four-point third-period performance against his former team will be one to remember for a long time.

In fact, Rantanen is the first player in NHL playoff history to score a hat trick in the third period, and also the first player in NHL history to score four points in one period in back-to-back games.

A remarkable performance from Rantanen that will clearly hurt the Avalanche and their players and fans for a very long time to come.

Finally, it's important to note that Stars head coach Peter DeBoer remains undefeated in Game 7, with a record of 9-0, which is simply mind-boggling.

The Stars now await the winner of tonight's game #7 between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues to find out their opponent in the next round.

The Stars win the series 4-3.


Overtime

– Here are yesterday's results.

– Here are the game's top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Today in the NHL: Game #7 between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
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