The Dallas Stars were tasked with one mission heading into their series finale on Saturday night: win. The Stars and Avalanche have battled back and forth for the last week and a half, ultimately coming to a close in a winner-take-all Game Seven. What started as a night that looked to trend in the Avalanche's favor, eventually ended in possibly one of the most memorable games in Stars history.
The Dallas Stars went into the tough Game Seven with some history on their side. Home teams have taken home a victory 58.6% of the time. Head Coach Pete DeBoer has also carried a career record of 8-0 in Game Sevens. That history seemed to not mean much once the puck dropped at the American Airlines Center. The two teams battled back and forth during the first period, heading into the first intermission with a blank scoreboard. Neither team was able to get any momentum into the intermission, as Dallas and Colorado combined for nine shots.
Do or Die For Stars, Avalanche in Game Seven
After six entertaining games of the series that everyone had circled from the moment it was confirmed, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars">Dallas Stars</a> and Colorado Avalanche face off one more time to see who will continue on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Dallas Stars
The action would pick up while the game looked to possibly shift in favor of Dallas when Sam Malinski would take a tripping penalty in the second period at 9:06. The man advantage would not bother the Avalanche as they would force a turnover, resulting in Josh Manson whistling home the shorthanded goal to kick off the scoring. Nathan MacKinnon would tack on another 31 seconds into the start of the third period to gain the two-goal advantage.
Following Nathan Mackinnon's lead-extending goal, the energy in the American Airlines Center was the lowest it had been all night. The Stars would change the atmosphere in the building when Mikko Rantanen ripped a one-timer past MacKenzie Blackwood from the slot. Rantanen was coming off a four-point performance in the Stars' losing effort in Game Six. Rantanen's night against his former team was far from over has he raced into Colorado zone to tuck home the wrap around goal to tie the game at two. What was apparent in Saturday's contest was that Mikko Rantanen took the initiative, as well as control of the game, in the final 20 minutes.
The biggest goal of the night, as well as Wyatt Johnston's career so far, when Jack Drury took a holding call at 15:47. Johnston's playoff moment came at 17 seconds later, when Matth Duchene found Wyatt Johnston alone on the other wing to put home the power play goal. The goal would result in the Stars' home arena erupting the loudest it had been all night. Mikko Rantanen would tally his third goal of the night when the Avalanche would leave the net empty for the extra attacker. The hat trick goal would be Rantanen's first in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With the first round playoff series done and finished, the Stars will now sit and wait for their next opponent. The St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets will finish off their playoff series on Sunday night with Game 7 in Winnipeg.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.