WINNIPEG –
Mikko Rantanen had a three-point season-opening outing with a goal and two assists in the Dallas Stars’ 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Jason Robertson and Nils Lundkvist both collected a goal and an assist for Dallas. Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin also scored for the visitors.
Jake Oettinger made 21 saves for the Stars, who knocked the Jets out of the second round of the NHL playoffs in six games last season.
Kyle Connor, fresh off signing an eight-year, $US96-million contract extension, had a hat trick for Winnipeg in its comeback attempt. Morgan Barron also scored. Mark Scheifele contributed three assists and Dylan DeMelo recorded a pair of helpers.
Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy winner, stopped 32 shots.
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Rantanen, Connor and Lundkvist had the first-period scoring, with Dallas holding a 2-1 lead.
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There was no scoring in the middle frame, but the Jets did put up some penalty minutes.
Winnipeg took five penalties in the second, with one offsetting. Dallas outshot Winnipeg 17-7 in the period and started a two-man advantage for 1:42 late in the frame.
After Winnipeg’s first power play expired, Robertson scored off a feed from Rantanen at 1:01 of the third. Thirty-four seconds later, Seguin made it 4-1 at even strength before Johnston scored at 3:23.
As the sold-out crowd at Canada Life Centre quieted down, the Jets brought it to life with a pair of short-handed goals by Barron at 9:53 and Connor’s second of the night at 11:09. The Jets winger tallied his third with 3:03 remaining.
Takeaways
Jets: Winnipeg, which finished with the league’s top power-play percentage last season, went 0-for-4 with the man advantage but showed the battle that helped it earn the Presidents’ Trophy last season.
Stars: Rantanen continued where he left off against the Jets last season. The winger had four goals and three assists during their second-round playoff series. He also drew a couple penalties as the game got testy between the familiar foes.
Key moment
Winnipeg-born forward Jonathan Toews received a loud, long cheer from fans when he was introduced before puck drop.
The new Jets centre, who was playing his first NHL game since April 13, 2023, with the Chicago Blackhawks, logged 18:19 of ice time in his 1,068th career regular-season game. He had one shot on goal.
Toews missed the past two seasons for health reasons related to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and long COVID-19.
Key stat
Dallas went one-for-five on the power play in a one-goal game.
Up next
Jets: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon.
Stars: Travel to Colorado to play the Avalanche on Saturday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
