Rantanen hat trick in overtime sinks Bruins as Stars win 3-2
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Mikko Rantanen scored all three Dallas goals, with the winner at 3:52 of overtime on a power play.
- The 3-2 loss ended Boston's five-game win streak. The Bruins still took seven of eight points on their road trip.
- Dallas won its third straight game. Boston hosts Nashville on Thursday, and Dallas hosts Winnipeg on Thursday.
One man beat the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. Mikko Rantanen scored three goals for the Dallas Stars. The last one came in overtime.
Dallas won 3-2 at home in Texas.
The game took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. It was an NHL regular-season game on October 20, 2026. Boston had won five games in a row.
Dallas stopped that streak.
What happened
Boston scored first. Just 2:09 into the game, Matt Poitras beat Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger. Frederic Brunet made the pass from across the ice.
Boston led 1-0.
Dallas tied the game early in the second period. Rantanen grabbed a loose puck after a Boston turnover. He shot it at Jeremy Swayman.
Swayman made the first save. Rantanen scored on his own rebound. The game was 1-1 at 2:50 of the second period.
Boston went back in front about five minutes later. Casey Mittelstadt carried the puck behind the Dallas net. He passed it in front.
James Hagens tipped it past Oettinger. Boston led 2-1 at 7:30 of the second period.
The score stayed 2-1 into the third period. Boston had chances on the power play but could not score. With 6:22 left in the third, Rantanen struck again.
Roope Hintz shot the puck from close range. It hit Boston's Charlie McAvoy and bounced to Rantanen. Rantanen knocked it past Swayman.
The game was tied 2-2.
Regulation ended with the score tied. Overtime began. Swayman was sharp early.
He stopped Wyatt Johnston on two breakaways just 10 seconds apart. Then Boston took a penalty. Pavel Zacha slashed Thomas Harley at 2:28 of overtime.
Dallas had a power play.
Rantanen finished it. At 3:52 of overtime, he took the puck close to the net. He flipped a backhand shot over Swayman's shoulder.
The puck went in. Dallas won 3-2. It was Rantanen's third goal of the night: a hat trick.
In hockey, a hat trick means one player scores three goals in one game.
The numbers from the game tell the story. Dallas had 25 shots on goal. Boston had 20.
Oettinger made 18 saves for Dallas. Swayman made 22 saves for Boston. Boston went 0-for-4 on the power play.
Dallas scored on its overtime power play.
Rantanen played 22:12 of ice time, according to the official box score. He took six shots. Jason Robertson had two assists for Dallas.
Why it matters
This was a special night for Rantanen. The Associated Press reported it was his 11th career three-goal game. It was his first in the regular season since joining the Stars in a trade.
The AP notes it happened in 1993, when the team moved to Dallas. He is the fourth Stars player with an overtime hat trick.
Dallas never led the game until the final goal. The Stars came back twice. They won their third game in a row.
Their record moved to 5-3-1.
Dallas defense was a big part of the story. The Stars entered the game giving up just 1.5 goals per game. That was the best mark in the NHL.
Their penalty kill ranked fourth in the league. They had allowed only one power-play goal in their opponents' last 25 chances.
For Boston, the loss hurts but the trip was still a success. The Bruins finished a four-game road trip with a 3-0-1 record. They earned seven of a possible eight points.
They are now 7-2-1 on the season. Before Tuesday, they had not lost in regulation in six games.
Two things should worry Boston fans. The Bruins went 0-for-4 on the power play. And Boston had no shot on goal in the final 16:35 of regulation.
Boston Hockey Now reported that stat. That is a long stretch of quiet offense.
Boston's young players kept playing well. Poitras extended his point streak to four games. Hagens scored his third goal of the season.
Both goals came from players early in their careers. That is a good sign for Boston's future.
Readers who follow the Dallas Stars can see this win in context. Dallas has looked strong all October. The Stars are playing like a contender in the Western Conference.
What happens next
Boston flies home on Wednesday. The Bruins host the Nashville Predators on Thursday at TD Garden. They will want to start a new win streak.
Dallas stays home. The Stars host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. They will try to win four games in a row.
Rantanen will be a player to watch. He now has a big moment early in the season. If he keeps scoring like this, Dallas will be hard to beat.
In other NHL news this month: Alex DeBrincat signed a $91 million contract extension with Detroit. Read the details in our Red Wings story. Basketball fans can catch up on the NBA's opening night in our Thunder-Spurs recap.
Oklahoma City beat San Antonio in that game.
The bottom line
One player decided this game. Rantanen scored three times. He tied the game twice.
Then he won it in overtime. Boston leaves Dallas with a point from the overtime loss. But the five-game win streak is over.
Dallas leaves with two points and its third win in a row.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,