Rantanen, Stars Double Up Penguins

Dallas scores three unanswered second-period goals to end four-game skid

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:35am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the movement and competition of a hockey game, with sharp planes of color representing the players, ice, and arena.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and energy of the Stars-Penguins hockey 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 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 games. The Stars trailed 1-0 and 2-1 before exploding for three goals, two on the power play, in the second period.

Why it matters

The win ends a four-game skid for the Stars, who are battling for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. The Penguins, meanwhile, have now lost three straight home games and are dealing with injuries to key players like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

The details

Rantanen and Robertson led the Stars' offense, with Rantanen scoring his 21st goal of the season and Robertson netting his 40th, tying him for the team lead. The Stars also got goals from Justin Hryckowian, Lian Bichsel and Mavrik Bourque. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the Penguins, who also got goals from Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 29, 2026.
  • Mantha's power-play goal put the Penguins up 1-0 just over two minutes into the game.
  • Hryckowian evened the score for the Stars early in the second period.
  • Karlsson's goal 48 seconds later gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead.
  • Robertson, Rantanen and Bichsel scored three unanswered goals for the Stars in the second period.

The players

Miko Rantanen

A forward for the Dallas Stars who scored his 21st goal of the season in his first game back after missing nearly two months with a lower-body injury.

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 (9) and most multi-point games by a defenseman in a single month (9).

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 had a tough stretch there, but it was good to get back on track with a big win on the road.”

— Miko Rantanen, Dallas Stars forward

“Losing at home like this is frustrating, especially with the injuries we're dealing with. We need to find a way to get healthy and start winning again.”

— Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman

What’s next

The Stars will look to build on this win as they continue their playoff push, while the Penguins will hope to get Malkin and Crosby back from injury soon to help turn things around.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Stars' depth and resilience, as they were able to overcome an early deficit and score three unanswered goals in the second period to secure the victory. Meanwhile, the Penguins' struggles at home and injuries to key players are concerning as they try to maintain their playoff position.