Stars' Mikko Rantanen sends clear message about team's playoff readiness
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Stars' Mikko Rantanen sends clear message about team's playoff readiness originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen pointed to exactly what he believes the team needs to fix heading into the NHL playoffs, after being defeated 2-0 by the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
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During his media duties after the game, Rantanen, 29, explained that they need to work more on 5-on-5 offense and getting more zone time. Head coach Glen Gulutzan later agreed on this point.
"Try to 5-on-5 offense, try to get more zone time," he said. "It kind of wanes down a little bit now, we get one chance and then, but we can't get like a constant pressure and the half ice game where the other team has to chip it out, but we just keep pushing."
"So I think that's one thing we've got to be better at in the last five games and try to build that for the first series."
Rantanen and Gulutzan agree: Stars must 'manufacture' 5-on-5 offense
Gulutzan was asked about Rantanen's comments, and the coach said he agreed with his forward. "I mean, 5-on-5 offense is going to dry up a lot here in the next," he said. "And so you've got to find a way to manufacture, you know, you win the 5-on-5 game 1-0, and they did it tonight, and in the future we've got to have to do it too."
Speaking more broadly about the loss to Colorado, the winger noted that the game reflected what the playoffs will likely look like, and said they need to start getting used to it -- in terms of officiating.
"It's a tight game. Playoff game, not a lot of chances, not a lot of penalties. It came to one play, and they made one play more than us, so that was the story," he began explaining.
"Was it just the officiating crew? I mean, if that can probably be like a playoff game, they weren't gonna call all the time," a reporter asked Rantanen, to which he replied, "Yeah, probably there's some you call in the earlier in the season, probably some trips and stuff, but that's what it's gonna be in two weeks. So get to get used to the line, it's gonna be more 5-on-5."