Stars Advance With Game 7 Victory
The Dallas Stars mounted a dramatic third-period comeback to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 7 of their Western Conference First Round series on Saturday night at American Airlines Center, advancing to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Avalanche Build Early Lead
The Avalanche, seeded third in the Central Division, appeared in control through two periods. Josh Manson opened the scoring at 9:50 of the second period with a shorthanded goal, capitalizing on a Dallas turnover and a feed from Logan O’Connor. Nathan MacKinnon extended Colorado’s lead to 2-0 just 31 seconds into the third period, finishing from close range on a delayed penalty call.
Stars’ Explosive Response
Facing elimination, Dallas responded with a surge. Mikko Rantanen-who led the Stars’ offense all night-cut the deficit to 2-1 at 7:49 of the third period with a shot from the high slot that beat Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.Rantanen then tied the game 2-2 at 13:46, banking in a wraparound attempt off Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard during a power play.
Wyatt Johnston gave Dallas its first lead of the night at 16:04, converting a one-timer on the power play off a cross-ice pass from Matt Duchene to make it 3-2. Rantanen completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, sealing the 4-2 victory and sending the Stars to the next round.
Key Performances and Statistics
-
Mikko Rantanen (DAL): 3 goals (hat trick), 1 assist
-
Wyatt Johnston (DAL): 1 goal (game-winner)
-
Matt Duchene (DAL): 2 assists
-
Jake Oettinger (DAL): 24 saves on 26 shots
-
Josh Manson (COL): 1 goal (shorthanded)
-
Nathan MacKinnon (COL): 1 goal
-
Mackenzie Blackwood (COL): 15 saves on 18 shots
The Avalanche outshot the Stars 27-19 and matched them in faceoff percentage (50% each), but Dallas capitalized on special teams, scoring twice on four power-play opportunities while Colorado was held scoreless on three chances.
Coaching and Historical Context
The victory improved Stars coach Peter DeBoer’s already impressive Game 7 record, while Avalanche coach Jared Bednar remained winless in Game 7 situations. The Stars, seeded second in the Central Division, will face either the Winnipeg Jets or St. Louis Blues in the second round.
Game Summary Table
| Period | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| DAL | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Notable Moments
-
Manson’s shorthanded goal gave Colorado early momentum.
-
MacKinnon’s goal early in the third put Dallas in a two-goal hole.
-
Rantanen’s hat trick, including the empty-netter, was pivotal in the Stars’ comeback.
-
Johnston’s power-play goal proved to be the game-winner.
Dallas’ resilience in the third period and Rantanen’s standout performance were decisive, as the Stars move on in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
