Mikko Rantanen has simple order for Stars to outmuscle Wild after wake-up blowout loss

Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars were in for a rude awakening in Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After the 6-1 defeat on home ice, Rantanen delivered a clear message for his teammates.

“We didn’t deserve to win. We didn’t win enough [puck] battles. That’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger,” Rantanen stated after the game, via NHL.com.

Rantanen pointed to the Stars’ aggressiveness—or rather, their lack of it—as the root of the problems they had in Game 1 against the Wild. Minnesota dominated the action and virtually determined the result with a blistering surge in the first 6:30 of the second period. The Wild went on a run to jump out to a 4–0 lead, and that was essentially all she wrote for Dallas.

Stars fans headed home scratching their heads—and so did Rantanen and company. Dallas hadn’t lost by a five-goal margin since the 2023–24 NHL season. If there’s a silver lining, though, it’s that this is nothing new for the Stars.

Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Stars

Dallas has a history of losing Game 1

Last season, the Stars lost 5–1 at American Airlines Center in the opening game of their first-round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche. They went on to win the series in seven games.

See also

Dallas Stars: Their journey to Stanley Cup glory

Starting the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the wrong foot seems to be a common theme for the Stars. Going back to the start of the decade, the Stars have always lost Game 1 of the First Round. The last time Dallas won a playoff opener was in 2019, when they defeated the Nashville Predators.

Dallas wants the Cup

It might be unconventional and stressful, but it’s yielded results for the Stars—although they have yet to hoist their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. Since the 2018–19 campaign, the Stars have reached the Stanley Cup Final once and made it to the Western Conference Final on three other occasions.

If they keep on the same path, the hex is due to break sooner or later. Rantanen and company hope for the former, and they believe this could be their year. If the Stars can make it out of the Central Division playoff picture, then the sky is truly the limit. However, surviving a bracket with the likes of the Wild and Avalanche is much easier said than done.