Mikael Granlund scored his first career playoff hat trick and the third by Dallas this postseason to help his club take a 3-1 series lead over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets.
* The Maple Leafs and Panthers have swapped consecutive wins at home as the series shifts back to Toronto in a pivotal Game 5.
* Connor McDavid can lead his Oilers to a second straight Western Conference Final berth with a win in Game 5 on Wednesday.
FINNISH STARS SHINE AS DALLAS MOVES WITHIN ONE WIN OF CONFERENCE FINAL
Mikael Granlund scored a hat trick while Mikko Rantanen and Miro Heiskanen – in his first game back in Dallas’ lineup since Jan. 28 – both collected assists to help the Stars extend their home win streak to five games and move within one victory of their third straight trip to the Conference Finals.
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Jets-Stars Game 4.
* Granlund scored the fifth hat trick of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tied with 2010 and 2006 for the second most at this stage of a season (63 GP) in the past 20 years, trailing only 2022 (6). Three of those five hat tricks have been scored by Stars players, with Rantanen having netted the other two (Game 7 of R1 & Game 1 of R2), marking the third time the club has recorded that many in a postseason – they are one of only four franchises to do so in multiple playoff years.
* Dallas also became the fourth team on record to feature multiple playoff hat tricks by players acquired earlier that season, though their three combined three-goal outings are the most among those clubs. The others: 1994 Blackhawks (Gary Suter & Tony Amonte), 1990 Rangers (Mike Gartner & Bernie Nicholls) and 1990 Kings (Tony Granato & Tomas Sandstrom).
* Rantanen (9-10—19 in 11 GP) became the second-fastest player to 10 playoff assists with the Stars/North Stars franchise, behind only Bobby Smith (5 GP in 1980). Rantanen now has the third-most playoff points by a player acquired on that season’s Trade Deadline Day behind only Marian Hossa (12-24—26 w/ PIT in 2008) and Marian Gaborik (14-8—22 w/ LAK in 2014).
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PANTHERS-MAPLE LEAFS, OILERS-GOLDEN KNIGHTS SET FOR CRUCIAL GAME 5s
A pair of Game 5s take center stage Wednesday as the Panthers seek their third straight win while the Maple Leafs look to respond on home ice with a 3-2 series lead on the line. Later on, the Oilers can book their ticket to the Western Conference Final for a second straight postseason as the Golden Knights aim to fend off elimination.
* After dropping the first two games of the Second Round, the Panthers have an opportunity to win their third straight and take a 3-2 series lead. Since the 2022 postseason, Florida has recorded eight win streaks of three-plus games in a single series – including three straight against Toronto during the 2023 Second Round. Edmonton (6x) is the only other club with more than three such streaks during that span.
* The Maple Leafs are 4-1 on home ice this postseason after skating to victory in Game 1 and 2 against the Panthers. Toronto can earn five home wins in a single playoff year for the seventh time in franchise history and first since 2004 (5-2-0).
* The Oilers are one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Final for the second straight postseason – a feat they last achieved during a three-year run from 1990 to 1992. Edmonton is 8-2 (.800 W%) in potential series-clinching games since 2017, the second-best winning percentage among all teams during that span (min. 2 GP) behind Montreal (4-0, 1.000 W%).
* The Golden Knights look to win Game 5 when trailing 3-1 in a best-of-seven series for the first time in franchise history after falling in the 2020 Conference Finals (3-2 OT L vs. DAL) and 2018 Stanley Cup Final (4-3 L vs. WSH). Adin Hill is 1-1 in his career when facing elimination and owns a 1.02 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage in those contests.
