Mikko Rantanen Makes NHL History While Knocking Out Former Team from Playoffs

What an unbelievable turn of events for the Dallas Stars on Saturday night in Game 7 of their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Colorado Avalanche.

Trailing 2-0 early in the 3rd period, ex-Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen scored twice to tie the game for the Stars, followed by a PPG from Wyatt Johnston in the final few minutes of the game.

Rantanen would then complete the hat trick with an empty-et goal with just moments left in regulation, sealing the victory and sending the sellout crowd of Stars fans at American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas into a frenzy.

Rantanen made NHL history thanks to his accomplishments on Saturday night, becoming the 1st player in history to net a 3rd period hat trick of a Game 7.

Considering how long the NHL has been around, that's an incredible achievement for Rantanen - and makes the next several months that await the fans in Colorado that once cheered for him when he wore their sweater all the more painful and difficult.

Rantanen could have been a UFA this summer, but was reportedly blindsided when he was traded from the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes in late January. With no assurances that he would re-sign with them in the summer, Carolina then flipped him in March to the Stars for assets rather than lose him on the open market for nothing.

Rantanen immediately signed an 8-year, $96 million deal with an AAV (average annual value) of $12 million.

The Stars will now await the winner of Sunday night's Game 7 between the Winnipeg Jets and the St. Louis Blues.