Miko Rantanen, Stars double-up Penguins

Dallas scores 3 unanswered goals in 2nd period to defeat Pittsburgh

Mar. 29, 2026 at 6:10am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movement and energy of a hockey game, with players and the puck represented as overlapping angular shapes in a vibrant color palette.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and shifting momentum between the Stars and Penguins in their high-scoring matchup.Today in Pittsburgh

Miko Rantanen scored in his first game in nearly two months, and the Dallas Stars tallied three unanswered second-period goals to end a four-game skid and defeat the host Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Saturday. Rantanen and Jason Robertson each had a goal and an assist for Dallas, which had gone 0-3-1 in its last four. The Stars trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in this contest before exploding for three goals, two on the power play, in the second.

Why it matters

The win helps the Stars maintain their position in the Western Conference playoff race, as they continue their push for a top seed. For the Penguins, the loss is their third at home in the past week, as they struggle to stay healthy with key injuries to Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

The details

Rookie Justin Hryckowian, Lian Bichsel and Mavrik Bourque also scored for the Stars, who swept the two-game season series with Pittsburgh after winning in Dallas in December. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh, which was playing without both Malkin and Crosby due to lower-body injuries. Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari also scored for Pittsburgh, which was outscored 17-6 in its three home losses this past week.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 29, 2026.
  • Mantha's power-play goal came just over two minutes into the game.
  • Hryckowian evened the score for Dallas early in the second period.
  • Karlsson's goal 48 seconds later gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead.
  • Robertson, Rantanen and Bichsel scored three unanswered goals for Dallas in the second period.

The players

Miko Rantanen

A forward for the Dallas Stars who scored his 21st goal of the season, returning from a nearly two-month injury absence.

Jason Robertson

A forward for the Dallas Stars who scored his 40th goal of the season, tying him for the team lead.

Erik Karlsson

A defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins who had a goal and two assists, breaking franchise records for most goals by a defenseman in a single month and most multi-point games by a defenseman in a single month.

Evgeni Malkin

A forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who missed the game due to a lower-body injury.

Sidney Crosby

A forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who missed the game due to a lower-body injury.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to battle through these injuries and find ways to win at home. Our fans deserve better than what they've seen the last week.”

— Mike Sullivan, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins

What’s next

The Stars will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a top playoff seed in the Western Conference. The Penguins will need to get healthier and find a way to improve their home performance in the final weeks of the regular season.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Stars' depth and resilience, as they overcame an early deficit to score three unanswered goals in the second period and secure the victory. For the Penguins, the loss underscored their struggles with injuries to key players and their inability to protect home ice in recent games.