Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, while Jason Robertson added one of each on Saturday as the Dallas Stars clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-1 win over the host Seattle Kraken.
Rantanen scored an empty-net goal to earn his first three-point game since coming to Dallas (48-21-4, 100 points) at the trade deadline three weeks and 11 games ago. It was his fourth straight game with a point, and Robertson notched his third consecutive multi-point game.
The Stars’ Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, while Mason Marchment scored as well. Wyatt Johnston also scored in his fourth straight game. Jake Oettinger stopped 35 shots in the victory.
Eeli Tolvanen scored off assists from Jared McCann and Andre Burakovsky, but it was far from enough as Seattle (31-37-6, 68 points) lost for the fourth time in five games. Joey Daccord finished with 16 saves.
The Stars officially punched their postseason ticket thanks to the Edmonton Oilers’ come-from-behind victory in overtime against the Calgary Flames. Dallas had to rally as well in order to clinch.
Seattle needed less than 90 seconds to get on the board. McCann caused a neutral-zone turnover, got the puck back from Burakovsky and drove right to Oettinger. The Dallas netminder got his glove on McCann’s shot, but it bounced away, and Tolvanen scored on a backhanded swat.
The Stars tied it with 8:10 remaining in the first period after Mavrik Bourque’s wraparound shot bounced off Daccord. The rebound went to Robertson, who pounced on the opportunity in the slot. Sam Steel also assisted on the goal.
Hintz gave the Stars the lead with 1:36 left in the opening frame with a one-timer from the right face-off circle. Robertson and Rantanen assisted.
That was one of two power-play goals the Stars scored in five chances. Marchment added the other 28 seconds into the third period to make it 3-1.
Johnston and Rantanen had a give-and-go in the neutral zone that sprung the 21-year-old center, who extended his goal-scoring streak with 7:04 left in the game to make it 4-1.
The Kraken were officially eliminated from postseason contention before their game started, thanks to St. Louis’ 2-1 victory over Colorado earlier in the day.
–Field Level Media
