Prominent players delivered key performances as the second round of the NHL playoffs featured two games on Sunday. Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars continued his exceptional form, while Sergei Bobrovsky secured a crucial Game 4 victory for the Florida Panthers.
Although the Winnipeg Jets likely felt confident after shutting down Rantanen in Game 2, that success was short-lived. Rantanen responded with another explosive three-point performance (one goal, two assists), leading the Stars to a 5-2 win and a 2-1 series advantage.
Rantanen wasn`t the only Stars player causing problems for the Jets. Defenseman Thomas Harley was impactful across all areas of the ice. An emerging talent on the blueline, Harley handled significant defensive responsibilities while also adding offense. He was a dominant force in Game 3, proving essential particularly with Miro Heiskanen sidelined.
In the other game, the Florida Panthers tied their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 2-2, thanks to a superb goaltending display by Sergei Bobrovsky. Despite facing some unfortunate bounces in Game 3, Bobrovsky was unfazed and delivered crucial saves to earn a shutout on Sunday.
Following another eventful night of playoff action, here are the standout performers, our 3 Stars of the Night.
3. Thomas Harley, D, Dallas Stars
With Miro Heiskanen still out of the lineup this postseason, Thomas Harley has stepped up remarkably, playing like a true top defenseman. His performance in Game 3 against the Jets further solidified his emergence. Harley recorded a secondary assist on Roope Hintz`s power play goal and scored himself late in the first period, positioned perfectly in the high slot on a delayed penalty thanks to Mikael Granlund.
Beyond his offensive contributions, Harley was defensively sound during heavy ice time. Natural Stat Trick data shows Harley played significantly more five-on-five minutes than any other Stars player, and Dallas held a 60.9% expected goals share during his time on the ice.
2. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Dallas Stars
After successfully keeping Rantanen scoreless in Game 2, the Jets may have believed they found a way to contain the skilled Finnish forward. However, Rantanen quickly bounced back from that quieter outing with another impressive three-point night. His Game 3 performance included a goal and two assists. His goal was particularly spectacular: taking the puck on the rush, he faked a shot that completely fooled Dylan Samberg before expertly placing his shot past Connor Hellebuyck.
This was Rantanen`s ninth goal of the playoffs, leading the entire NHL. He has now accumulated at least three points in five of his last six contests, totaling 17 points during this torrid stretch. To illustrate the magnitude of Rantanen`s current form, the Stars` second goal in Game 3 was the first time in 13 consecutive Dallas goals that he wasn`t credited with a point.
1. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
In Game 3, Sergei Bobrovsky faced considerable bad luck, including goals deflecting in off his own teammates – situations that could easily undermine a goaltender`s confidence. Yet, Bobrovsky showed remarkable resilience, delivering an outstanding performance in Sunday`s shutout that leveled the series.
While the Panthers` team defense limited overall shot volume in Game 4, the high-powered Maple Leafs offense is always dangerous and needs minimal space. Bobrovsky was impenetrable, stopping all 22 shots faced, including denying strong scoring opportunities from Auston Matthews. According to Natural Stat Trick, Bobrovsky`s effort resulted in 1.8 goals saved above average, and he successfully turned aside seven high-danger scoring chances.
Elton Marrow