Mikko Rantase became the fastest player in Avalanche club history to score 40 goals in one season.
Colorado Avalanche Mikko Rantanen reached the 40-goal milestone in NHL hockey. The Finnish star striker reached a milestone in the home match against the Vegas Golden Knights, when Rantanen scored his team’s first two goals in a 3–0 victory.
Rantanen managed to score already in the fifth game in a row. In these matches, the attacker has achieved 6+2 performances.
Rantas became the fastest player in Avalanche club history to score 40 goals in one season. It took the Finn 58 matches to break the limit.
– The biggest thing is to help the team win. If I can do it by scoring goals, I’m happy to do it. I have to thank my teammates, I’m lucky when I get to play with good players, Rantanen said in an interview after the match.
The win was already the sixth in a row for the Avalanche.
The 26-year-old Rantanen had not previously scored 40 goals in the NHL regular season. The closest Rantanen got last season was when he scored 36 goals.
– We play the right way and defend well, even if we are not always at our best in attack. This was a really good game, Rantanen recounted his team’s current mood.
The Finn, who is on pace for well over 50 goals, opened the scoring taps of the match after only 14 seconds, when he cut the Vegas keeper by Adam Hill took the puck out of the air and moved the puck into a virtually empty goal. The second time Rantanen succeeded at the end of the second period, when he shot By JT Compher his eighth overtime hit of the season from a cross pass.
Rantanen has recorded 71 (40+31) power points in 58 matches of the season. He is now tied for third place in the NHL’s scoring market. They are only ahead of the Finn Connor McDavid (50 goals) and David Pasternak (42). of Buffalo Tage Thompson has also scored 40 hits.
He scored Colorado’s 3–0 goal into an empty net at the end of the match Nathan MacKinnon. Artturi Lehkonen was the second pitcher for the hit.
– From the beginning of the season, we were not at our best in third sets. It has now been fixed, which is important when the real games start in the spring, Rantanen concluded the interview.
25th goal of the season for Hintz
Dallas Roope Hintz managed to score in the match against Vancouver. The center forward hit Dallas’ 3-4 cut with the upper hand in the second period. The goal was the 25th of the season for the emboldened Finn with 52 power points.
The center of the Vancouver Quad Aatu Räty was the first scorer of his team’s 3–1 lead. The assist point was Rädy’s first in the NHL. The 20-year-old Finn has now played 16 matches with an output of 2+1.
The struggle finally ended with Vancouver’s 5-4 overtime victory. Dallas continues to fight for the Western Conference title, one point behind conference leader Vegas.
The results of the NHL round:
Ottawa–Detroit 6–2
Dallas–Vancouver and 4–5
DAL: Hintz 1+0
VAN: Räty 0+1
Edmonton–Boston 2–3
Colorado to Vegas 3–0
COL: Rantanen 2+0
Anaheim–Chicago 4–2
Correction at 8:37: Rantanen’s last games’ performances have been corrected to 6+2 (was 5+3).