Avalanche lose to Stars, again, as Mikko Rantanen plays hero in shootout

The Colorado Avalanche played a wild hockey game against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

Unfortunately, much like the playoffs each of the last two years, it didn’t go their way.

Dallas got the best of Colorado by a final score of 5-4, winning a shootout 2-1 to hand the Avs their first loss of the season.

And it was Mikko Rantanen of all people, the guy the Avalanche traded last January, beating Scott Wedgewood to give the Stars the extra point. Nathan MacKinnon had a chance to extend the shootout, but Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger made one last clutch save to end the contest.

MIKKO RANTANEN WINS IT FOR THE DALLAS STARS IN THE SHOOTOUT VS THE AVALANCHE 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/SZvGqwMbAr

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 12, 2025

The story of the night was the Avalanche outplaying the Stars (39 shots to 22), but Dallas making the most of its opportunities. They had four goals in regulation on their first 12 shots.

Colorado kept battling back, including MacKinnon tying the game halfway through the third period to eventually send it to overtime.

But Oettinger thrived down the stretch, making several insane stops, including robbing Martin Necas in OT on a great pass from Cale Makar. Necas had three points (one goal, two assists), but couldn’t find the elusive fourth one. Ironically, he was the centerpiece of the Rantanen trade that sent the beloved former Av to Carolina in January.

Highlights for the Avalanche included Gavin Brindley scoring his first career NHL goal, as well as Artturi Lehkonen getting his second of the year. That was setup by MacKinnon, who finished with three points on the evening.

Colorado is now 2-0-1 on the year and did earn a point. They won’t see the Stars again until March, but for it being October, this one had the intensity of postseason hockey.

Alas, Dallas got the best of the Avalanche again. Luckily, there’s still 79 games to go in the regular season.

(Update – 10:38 p.m.) –

MacKinnon didn’t seem particularly thrilled that a smattering of boos came from Ball Arena fans after the Avs went 1-5 on the power play, despite Oettinger’s brilliance.

🗣️Nathan MacKinnon on the power play:

"A lot of great changes, I know we were gettting booed. I guess they don't know what a good power play looks like… We finally got one. So, I guess they've got to boo us more."#GoAvsGo | Powered By: https://t.co/um38bpoW9I pic.twitter.com/fBewDWh73n

— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports_) October 12, 2025

And head coach Jared Bednar is sick of the Stars just like the fanbase.

Bednar was asked about the fact that they won’t Dallas again until March, and if he would prefer to play them again sooner… said he wouldn’t mind “never seeing them again”

— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) October 12, 2025

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