The Dallas Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche with a 4-2 comeback victory in Game 7. Mikko Rantanen got revenge against his former team with a third-period hat trick, and he drove the Stars through to the second round.
Just 31 seconds into the third period, Nathan MacKinnon gave the Avalanche a 2-0 lead. Up until that point, the Stars didn’t have anything cooking on offense, but Rantanen changed that in a hurry. Two consecutive goals from Rantanen tied the game, and then he assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s game-winning goal with under four minutes left.
To pour a little more salt in the wound, Rantanen sealed the win with an empty-net goal to complete his hat trick. Revenge doesn’t get much sweeter than that.
The win pushed Peter DeBoer’s all-time record in Game 7 to 9-0, and the Avalanche lost their seventh consecutive Game 7.
There will be one more Game 7 in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday night. The St. Louis Blues kept their season alive with a decisive 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 on Friday.
With the game tied at 1 halfway through the second period, the Blues exploded for three goals in just over two minutes to take control of the game. Connor Hellebuyck’s postseason struggles continued as he allowed five goals on 23 shots. He was pulled following the second period, and the Jets’ goaltender has now gotten the hook in all three road games this series.
Game 7 between the Jets and Blues will be at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday night from the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
The other six first-round series have already been decided with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights winning Game 6s on Thursday night. In the East, the second-round matchups are completely set. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs will clash in a battle of Atlantic Division foes, and the Carolina Hurricanes will meet the Washington Capitals for a Metro Division showdown.
For the complete schedule and results for every first-round matchup, follow along right here at CBS Sports.
Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2 | Recap
Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 0 | Recap
Game 6: Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2 | Recap
Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 | Recap
Game 3: Lightning 5, Panthers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Panthers 4, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 6, Lightning 3 | Recap
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens
Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 | Recap
Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 | Recap
Game 4: Capitals 5, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Capitals 4, Canadiens 1 | Recap
Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 5, Devils 2 | Recap
Game 5: Hurricanes 5, Devils 4 (2OT) | Recap
Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1 | Recap
Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 4: Blues 5, Jets 1 | Recap
Game 5: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 6: Blues 5, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 7: Sunday, May 4 | 7 p.m. | at WPG | TBS/Max
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (3) Colorado Avalanche
Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 5: Stars 6, Avalanche 2 | Recap
Game 6: Avalanche 7, Stars 4 | Recap
Game 7: Stars 4, Avalanche 2 | Recap
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights 4, Wild 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 | Recap
(2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 | Recap
Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2 | Recap
Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 4, Kings 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 3, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 6: Oilers 6, Kings 4 | Recap