The good: Mikko Rantanen gathered a goal and an assist in his debut with Dallas Stars.
The Bad: The Stars lost despite contributions from the recently acquired forward, a 5-4 defeat in the hands of Edmonton Oilers to open a four-game Road Trip.
Back to the good: Rantanen and the stars return to action on Sunday as they continue the swing of Vancouver Canucks.
“Hopefully it gets better and better,” said Rantanen, who was shared to the stars on Friday, signing an eight -year contract extension.
“I could say, this team likes to play with the puck. It’s a big reason why I wanted to play here. … It’s good to get legs under you right away and see the chemistry. There are really good centers on the team, and all guys can play.”
But back to the bad, in addition to the fact that the stars had their winning line with four games snapped. Roope Hintz left the game in the middle of the second period after a puck hit him in the face. Coach Peter Deboer said that the prominent center went to hospital.
“Everyone’s optimistic it is not serious, but we do not know until we test,” Deboer said.
The stars ride on a 12-3-1 run, but the loss was a reminder of how they must be best from start to finish to succeed. After Wyatt Johnston scored another time-compiled a goal in a fifth match in a row and drove his point scoring to nine matches-the stars abandoned five goals to Oilers before the end of the second period. The comeback attempt only fell short but it was a little comfort.
“We deserved what we got every period,” said Captain Jamie Benn. “Details were sloppy in the first (period). We come in 3-1. Dig yourself a hole against a good team like that and it’s hard to come back.”
Canucks strive for a third victory in a row after claiming a much needed 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild after the trade deadline on Friday.
Vancouver has won two competitions in a row to start a four-game home, after winning only one of five excursions on a road swing.
“We’re in March now,” said coach Rick Tochet. “You have to be up for every game. It doesn’t matter who you are playing. Dallas is a really good hockey team. They are very well coached, (and) obviously, getting the rantan will give them another star player. This is where you need 21 guys playing. We can’t get here and have 12 guys who play. We all need.
Vancouver, who is at a 5-0-1 run at home, is a point back by Calgary Flames for Western Conference’s second wild-card position.
With 20 matches left in the regular season, the time is over for Canucks – which ended on the Pacific Division last season – to go on a winning line.
On the positive, embedded forward Elias, Pettersson snapped a 15-player goal coring drought when he opened the point to nature.
“As I said the other day I’m not perfect,” Pettersson said. “I know this has not been my best season, but I can’t change it, and I’m just trying to get better every day. And (Friday) was a good day – we got a win, had a goal.”
Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes (lower body) did not train on Saturday, and there was no update on when the club expects him back in action.
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