Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in March, is firmly establishing himself as one of the most clutch performers in the Stanley Cup playoffs so far.
Not only did he score a natural hat trick against his former Colorado Avalanche teammates in Game 7, but he followed that up with a second in as many games in the Stars’ opening round Game 1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.
The Stars took a 1-0 lead in the series, with Game 2 on Friday, May 9, in Winnipeg before the series shifts back to Dallas.
Jets Coach Scott Arniel on Lack of Coverage on Mikko Rantanen
Despite knowing that Rantanen is one of the best players in the game, the Jets had no answer for him during the second period.
Afterward, Jets head coach Scott Arniel, who was nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s top coach for 2024-25, struggled to explain why.
“That was [Adam] Lowry’s line. But [Rantanen] was on the fourth line when he scored both the goals five-on-five,” he said. “[Dallas] double-shifted him; they had him on with the Steel line. That’s where he scored both goals.”
“At the end of the day, he went to the net. He’s a big man that got there with his stick, and he’s just somebody that you always have to know when he’s on the ice. Whenever you face elite players, you have to know where they are. Obviously, he’s feeling it coming off of Game 7. We’ve got to know when he’s on the ice. He’s a guy that you have to make sure, especially you tie up that stick of his.”
Meanwhile, Jets forward and assistant captain Mark Scheifele, who returned to action for the first time since Game 5 of Winnipeg’s opening round series against the St. Louis Blues, had no shortage of praise for Rantanen’s talent.
“He’s an absolutely fantastic player — big, strong and does a lot of really, really good things out there,” he said. “He’s an absolutely phenomenal player, and when you need to take away that time and space, it makes it harder, but obviously, he’s a fantastic player, and I’ve got to really watch out for him.”
If the Jets are to get back into the series against the Stars, they’ll need to figure out a way to contain Rantanen, who is clearly in a groove right now. Halfway through Game 2, things are looking promising, as the Jets claimed an early lead (3-0).