Mikko Rantase scored the game-winning goal and a total of four points, as the team went on to steal a 7-4 away victory as a guest of the New York Islanders.
The Finnish star of the Colorado Avalanche Mikko Rantanen scored a goal and had three assists as his team defeated the NY Islanders 7–4.
In other ways, the season of the season’s champion has started successfully. Six matches played and six wins.
Vegas and Boston have also been able to do the same trick this season. Both teams, like Colorado, have recorded six wins since the beginning of the season.
The three teams thus have a good chance to break the NHL’s all-time record for consecutive wins from the beginning of the season. In the 1993-94 season, Toronto won their first 10 games of the season. The record was set by the Buffalo Sabers in the 2006-07 season. In the second season, the Finnish-represented Carolina came close to breaking the record, but lost to Florida in their tenth game.
Rantanen started his point production right away in the opening set of the match by feeding the one who moved to Colorado in the summer by Ryan Johansen hit and by initiating the 2–1 goal completed by Cale Makari.
In the third set, the 26-year-old Finnish striker scored a 5-4 goal with a precise shot that became the winning goal of the match. Rantanen assisted Johansen’s second goal of the night in the final set and thus led his team to victory.
Rantanen also scored four power points (2+2) in his season opener against the LA Kings. In his career, Rantanen has now had a four-point night a total of 19 times.
Rantanen has missed points in only one game this season. The player has collected 5+7=12 power points in six matches.
Rantanen, who is playing his eighth full NHL season, is fourth in the league’s points market. The top spot is shared by the Devils Jack Hughes and Detroit Dylan Larkin with 14 power points.
New history books
With the Islanders victory, Colorado has won 15 consecutive away games in the regular season, including last season. The team thus holds the NHL record for consecutive away game victories, while the previous record (14) was held by the Buffalo Sabers from 2006.
Colorado has not lost a single game this season, and holds the top spot in the Western Conference ahead of Vegas with a better goal difference.
With the win, Colorado’s crew also broke their own club record for consecutive wins since the beginning of the season. If a win comes out of the next game, Colorado will break its previous record from the 2013-14 season (7).
The team will face Pittsburgh in their next game on Friday.
Barkov aside
Finnish captain of the Florida Panthers Alexander Barkov was on the sidelines due to illness when Florida beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 at home. Remember the Finns Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen recorded the assists to the man.
Porila striker Joel Armia was again out of the Montreal Canadiens lineup in a loss to the New Jersey Devils. Armi was called up to the NHL last Saturday after scoring the same number of goals in four games for the Laval Rocket, but hasn’t been able to play even once in Montreal’s three games.
NHL round results:
Washington–Toronto 1–4
Ottawa–Buffalo 4–6 OTT: Korpisalo 5/5 defense. (for goal 40.00) BUF: Jokiharju 0+1, Luukkonen 34/38 save.
Tampa Bay–Carolina 3–0
Montreal–New Jersey 2–5
Pittsburgh–Dallas 1–4 DAL: Hintz 0+1
Florida–San Jose 3 to 1 FLA: Lostarinen 0+1, Lundell 0+1
NY Islanders–Colorado 4–7 COL: Rantanen 1+3
Detroit–Seattle and 4-5 DET: Määtta 0+1, Husso 32/37 saves.
Chicago–Boston 0 to 3
Columbus–Anaheim and 2–3
Winnipeg–St. Louis 4–2
Minnesota–Edmonton 7 to 4
Nashville–Vancouver 2–3 NSH: Saros 21/24 torj.
Calgary–NY Rangers 1–3
Los Angeles–Arizona situation 4–3 ARI: Maccelli 0+1
Vegas–Philadelphia situation 1–2