Mikko Rantanen’s Hat Trick Leads Stars Past Jets in Playoff Opener

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mikko Rantanen scored a natural hat trick in the second period, pushing the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Wednesday night.

Jake Oettinger made 30 saves for Dallas, marking the Stars’ first postseason matchup against the Jets. Nino Niederreiter and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which saw a four-game home win streak at Canada Life Centre come to an end.

Rantanen’s performance was crucial, as he scored three consecutive goals to secure the win. His first came at 8:43 in the second, tying the game at 1-1. Rantanen then tipped in a shot from Thomas Harley and scored on a power play to push Dallas ahead.

“I just tried to find the right spots and get to the net,” Rantanen said. “The team played well and we got a nice victory.”

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots for Winnipeg, who was aiming to capitalize on their home-ice advantage after finishing the regular season with an impressive 116 points. The Jets previously won three of four regular-season encounters with the Stars.

Both teams entered the game with notable absences: Scheifele returned from an injury, while the Stars welcomed back star forward Jason Robertson after missing the first round due to a knee injury.

The first period remained scoreless, with the Jets outshooting the Stars 13-12. Niederreiter opened the scoring with a backhand shot at 3:30 of the second, becoming the NHL’s first Swiss-born player to reach 100 career postseason games.

Just over five minutes later, Rantanen answered with a rebound goal, marking his sixth of the playoffs. Rantanen continued his scoring spree with a tipped shot and a power-play goal less than three minutes later.

After Scheifele’s goal cut the Stars’ lead to 3-2, the Jets pushed hard for an equalizer in the final moments of the game but Oettinger stood strong, especially with Hellebuyck pulled from the net in the final minutes.

“We needed those saves, especially towards the end,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said about Oettinger’s performance. “He held the fort for us.”

The series now heads into Game 2, scheduled for Friday in Winnipeg, as the Stars hope to capitalize on their momentum from this victory.