Rantanen's Hat Trick Crushes Avs' Hopes in Game 7 Heartbreaker

DENVER — In a stunning third-period collapse, the Colorado Avalanche squandered a 2-0 lead and fell 4-2 to the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their Western Conference First Round series on Saturday at American Airlines Center. Mikko Rantanen, traded from Colorado prior to the season, torched his old club with three goals, including an empty-netter with three seconds left, as Dallas rallied with four unanswered tallies. Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 29 shots but couldn't hold the fort after the Stars pulled even.

Rantanen, a former Avs cornerstone who notched 50 goals in Colorado last season, opened the floodgates at 11:27 of the third with his first goal to cut the deficit to 2-1. Wyatt Johnston followed with a power-play one-timer at 14:52 off a pass from Matt Duchene, flipping the score to 3-2. Rantanen's third goal iced it, sending Dallas to face the winner of Winnipeg-St. Louis in Round 2 while ending Colorado's bid for back-to-back deep playoff runs from Ball Arena.

The series, tied 3-3 entering Game 7, showcased the rivalry's intensity, with Denver's high-powered attack — led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar — generating early edges in Games 1, 3 and 5 at home. But Stars netminder Jake Oettinger made 24 saves in the decider, including key stops during Colorado's third-period push. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar lamented the late fade, praising his squad's regular-season grit amid injuries but noting the brutal end to their 2025 postseason.

Colorado fans, still buzzing from the 2022 Stanley Cup, packed watch parties across the Front Range, from LoDo bars to Fort Collins haunts. The loss stings deeper with Rantanen's betrayal narrative; the 28-year-old Finn cited Dallas' championship culture as his draw. As the Avs regroup for 2026, eyes turn to offseason moves to reclaim Mile High glory.