Historic Comeback: Dallas Stars Make Unprecedented Victory in Game 7

The Dallas Stars pulled off the seemingly impossible Saturday night when they overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period of Game 7 against the Colorado Avalanche to come away with a 4-2 regulation win.

Forward Mikko Rantanen willed the team to victory with a hat trick in the third period, and 21-year-old Wyatt Johnston scored the game winner to send Dallas to the second round of the playoffs.

If watching the historic comeback live wasn’t shocking enough, a series of stats that have surfaced in the aftermath prove just how improbable Dallas’ feat was.

Here is a look at seven stats that show just how unprecedented the Stars’ Game 7 victory was:

The Unprecedented Comeback

The Stars became the first team in NHL history to pull off a multi-goal third-period comeback win in regulation of a Game 7.

Only three other teams have recorded multi-goal third-period comeback wins in Game 7 history — San Jose (2019 vs. Vegas), Boston (2013 vs. Toronto) and Montreal (1979 vs. Boston) — but all three required overtime to secure the win.

The Stars were down two goals with 14 minutes left in regulation. With four minutes left in regulation, thanks to Rantanen, they were tied. And Johnston found the difference-making goal on a power play.

Mikko Rantanen: The Hero of the Game

Rantanen became the first player in NHL history to record a third-period hat trick in a Game 7 and to net a Game 7 hat trick against his former team.

The Stars’ trade-deadline acquisition, who began his season in Colorado, opened the scoring for Dallas near halfway through the third period. Minutes later, he scored a wrap-around goal that bounced off the skate of a Colorado defender on the power play to tie it up and helped set up Johnston’s goal before adding an empty-netter with 2.7 seconds remaining to ice the game.

Rantanen also became the first player in NHL history to record multiple four-point periods in a single postseason. Mario Lemieux is the only other player with multiple four-point playoff periods in his career, doing so three years apart.

Wyatt Johnston: The Clutch Kid

Johnston is now the first player in NHL history to score multiple Game 7 series-clinching goals at age 22 or younger.

The 21-year-old scored on the power play with 3:56 left in regulation off a cross-crease pass from Matt Duchene.

Johnston is 3-0 in Game 7s and has scored in all three of his appearances. He scored the game-deciding goal two years ago against the Kraken and the first of two Stars goals in Game 7 of the first round against Vegas last year.

Pete DeBoer: The Winning Coach

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer now has the most Game 7 wins without a loss in North American sports, passing Red Auerbach, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, who coached the Celtics in 1950s and 60s and was 8-0.

DeBoer is a perfect 9-0 in Game 7s in his career and leads the NHL with the most Game 7 wins. He was previously tied with Darryl Sutter and seven skaters.

Regular-Season Redemption

In 82 regular-season games, the Stars won just three when trailing after two periods. They lost 20.

But in the seven-game series against Colorado, the Stars matched that, winning three of their four games when trailing during the second intermission.

The Stars won Games 2 and 3 in overtime after holding a deficit entering the third period. They did so again Saturday after trailing 1-0 through two periods and 2-0 just 31 seconds into the third.

Controlling Colorado

The Stars are 3-0 in their last three playoff series against the Avalanche and 5-2 all time, dating back to 1999 conference finals.

Five series wins is tied for the most the Stars have against once opponent since moving to Texas in 1993 (also beat Edmonton five times).

The Stars also beat Colorado in a Game 7 in every year they’ve advanced to the Stanley Cup Final (1999, 2000 and 2020).

Beating the Odds

The home team typically has a slight advantage in Game 7s, but the team that scores first has a much bigger one, winning 75.8% of the time.

Not only did the Avalanche score first off a shorthanded goal by Josh Manson in the second period, but they scored the second goal as well when Nathan MacKinnon gave his team the lead on the first shift of the third period.

Still, the Stars were able to beat the odds and pull off the stunning comeback.

Conclusion

The Dallas Stars’ Game 7 victory over the Colorado Avalanche was a historic comeback that will be remembered for years to come. With the help of Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick and Wyatt Johnston’s game-winning goal, the Stars were able to overcome a two-goal deficit in the third period and win the game 4-2.

The Stars’ victory was not only impressive but also unprecedented, with several records broken throughout the game. The team’s ability to come back from a deficit and win in regulation is a testament to their determination and skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the final score of the game?

A: The final score of the game was 4-2 in favor of the Dallas Stars.

Q: Who scored the game-winning goal?

A: Wyatt Johnston scored the game-winning goal with 3:56 left in regulation.

Q: How many Game 7 wins does Pete DeBoer have in his career?

A: Pete DeBoer has 9 Game 7 wins in his career, the most in NHL history.

Q: What is the Stars’ record against the Avalanche in the playoffs?

A: The Stars are 5-2 against the Avalanche in the playoffs, with three consecutive series wins.

Q: Who had a hat trick in the game?

A: Mikko Rantanen had a hat trick in the game, scoring three goals in the third period.