It wasn’t a handshake line at the end of this remarkable seven-game series for Mikko Rantanen. It was a hug line.

Mikko Rantanen made sure the Colorado Avalanche missed him in Game 7 of their first-round series against the Dallas Stars in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. Rantanen scored a third-period hat trick against his former team to lead the Stars to the second round with a 4-2 comeback win on Saturday night.

The Dallas Stars have defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 4-2, to win Game 7 and advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Down two goals in the third period, the Stars staged an incredible rally to pull out the win.