Dallas Stars fans held their breath when Mikko Rantanen, a key acquisition, was injured during the game, but he showed his toughness.
Early in the second period, the winger was struck in the face by a puck shot by his own teammate, Ilya Lyubushkin. He was visibly hurt on the ice before going to the locker room.
This was concerning for the Stars, who are already playing without key players like Tyler Seguin and Miro Heiskanen.
Fortunately for Dallas, the worry was short-lived.
Rantanen came back to the game soon after, wearing a full face shield, and was able to finish the match.
This was a bit of good fortune for Rantanen, who has experienced a turbulent season since being traded from the Colorado Avalanche on January 24th.
His time with the Carolina Hurricanes was disappointing, as he only scored six points in 13 games. After it became clear that Rantanen and the Hurricanes wouldn`t agree on a contract, Carolina traded the player, known for scoring 40 goals twice, to the Stars. Dallas then signed him to a significant eight-year contract worth $96 million.
Since joining the Stars, Rantanen has contributed two goals and two assists in seven games.
Tristan Blackwood