(Photo: Dallas Morning News, NHL)
The Dallas Stars took care of business in game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. Both teams are coming off a tough round one match up after each series went to a 7th game. Maybe you were expecting a slow physical game due to both teams being a little tired but thats not what we got on Thursday night. The Jets started the scoring off taking the lead 1-0 early on into the 2nd period but what happened throughout the rest of the period was historic.
Mikko Rantanen after scoring a hatrick in game 7 to propel the Stars to the 2nd round he follows that performance up by scoring a natural hatrick in the first game of round 2 in the second period. Its unbelievable to me how people called this guy a “MacKinnon merchant”, referring to how he wouldn’t be as good as a player he is without Nathan MacKinnon. There was still a lot of game left to be played though, and the Jets did respond with a goal coming from Mark Scheifele late into the second period. It was a nervy third period for the Stars but they managed to get the job done and take game 1 3-2 in Winnipeg and steal home ice in the series for now. The NHL post on Rantanen’s hatrick https://x.com/NHL/status/1920326257113280811
The only hero though wasn’t just Mikko Rantanen though another hero was Jake Oettinger. He made 30 out of 32 saves in this win and making 10 saves out of 10 shots in the 3rd period. The Jets are in tough against this Stars team but they are presidents trophy winners for a reason so i have 3 keys for them winning game 2.
1. Contain Mikko Rantanen he has been on a tear and i bet you every time he touches the puck right now he feels like he can score so contain him be physical with him just be as chippy as you can be around him.
2. You have too play better on the special teams side of things. Dallas capitalised on there power play opportunities and stopped the Jets power play, so for the Jets be better on special teams and if you can do that it also helps on containing Mikko as well which ties into the first key.
3. Get to the front of the net more Jake ottinger has struggled with controlling rebounds this year this is an achilles heal for a lot of great goalies just like the man across the crease from him in Connor Hellebuyck. More shots at the net, more bodies at the net higher chance for a goal. I think if they follow these steps they have a great shot at evening this series tomorrow night.