Mikael Granlund gets 1st career playoff hat trick as Stars beat top-seeded Jets for 3-1 series lead

DALLAS (AP) — Mikael Granlund had his first career playoff hat trick, Jake Oettinger stopped 31 shots and the Dallas Stars beat Winnipeg 3-1 on Tuesday night, taking a 3-1 series lead over the top-seeded Jets in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Mikko Rantanen, upped his NHL-leading playoff total to 19 points (nine goals) with the primary assist on Granlund's second goal that broke a 1-1 tie with 2:08 left in the second period and put the Stars ahead to stay.

Granlund did a double fist pump from his knees, then popped up to his skates after his third goal, his fourth in these playoffs, on a power play with 12:37 left in the game. The 33-year-old forward had scored multiple goals only one time in his previous 69 playoff games, for Minnesota in 2014.

“What he does on the ice is one thing, but the guy oozes leadership,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Our Finnish group there, he's is kind of the elder statesman of that group."

Dallas acquired Granlund and Rantanen, both forwards from Finland, through trades during the season.

“Obviously Mikko, he’s been playing in such an incredible level and I’m sure he’s going to keep doing that. But obviously we need some help and, and hopefully that in the next game it might be someone else," Grandlund said. “But all that matters is trying to get these wins.”

Game 5 is at Winnipeg on Thursday, when the Stars will have their first chance to advance to the West final for the third year in a row.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who have lost all five of their road games this postseason.

The primary assist on the third Granlund goal came from another fellow Finnish player, Miro Heiskanen, the standout defenseman in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 28 after missing the last 32 regular-season games and first 10 playoff games because of a knee injury.

That came soon after Oettinger's kick save on Kyle Connor's short-handed attempt in the first half of a double-minor penalty against Haydn Fleury. Granlund scored just before the end of the four-minute penalty.

Granlund got his first goal after skating down the middle over both blue lines, and a nifty move around Brandon Tanev near mid-ice, before snapping a 38-foot shot past Connor Hellebuyck for a 1-0 lead just 8 1/2 minutes into the game.

Hellebuyck, who stopped 21 shots, has now lost nine consecutive playoff road games since winning Game 1 at Vegas in 2023, before the Golden Knights won four in a row. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the odds-on favorite to win the top goalie award again this season, has allowed 24 goals in the five road losses in these playoffs.

“I leave it all out there every night. I’m doing my best,” Hellebuyck said. “Sometimes it’s a heartbreak, but all it takes is one little change, one little bounce and things can start going our way.”

The Jets began the second period with a minute left on a power play and Dallas technically killed the tripping penalty. But Ehlers scored from a severe angle, his shot from the bottom of the circle to the left of Oettinger going under the goalie’s legs and ricocheting into the net while Tyler Seguin was coming out of the box.

“I thought we played a good hockey game. We had 70 shot attempts and scored one goal,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “If we can’t find more than one goal, we’re not going to win hockey games, especially against this hockey team. I liked a lot of what we did 5 on 5.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger blocks a shot in the third period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Winnipeg Jets left wing Brandon Tanev (73) reacts at the end of the second period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen (96) skates up ice as Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey (44) defends in the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) and Winnipeg Jets right wing Nino Niederreiter (62) compete for control of the puck in the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) cotrols the puck and as Haydn Fleury (24) moves in to take control in the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund celebrates after scoring a power play goal against the Winnipeg Jets in the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--

As medical device manufacturers face mounting pressures to reduce environmental risk, improve traceability, and accelerate product development, Americhem is preparing to highlight a suite of new technologies that reflect these industry shifts at Pharmapack (Paris) and MD&M West (Anaheim) in early 2026.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112893294/en/

The company, known for its healthcare-focused polymer compounds and masterbatches, will showcase five key technologies, each designed to respond to the technical and regulatory complexities facing modern medtech—particularly in areas like connected care, self-administered delivery, and robotic-assisted interventions. Among the engineered solutions:

Americhem is actively engaging with OEM partners to co-develop and validate them for next-generation device applications. The company reports continued double-digit growth in its healthcare segment, supported by its ISO 13485-certified facilities in the U.S. and Denmark and upcoming expansion into China in 2026.

Americhem will also participate in the SPE Minitec Conference held during MD&M West, joining technical discussions on materials innovation for evolving care models.

“There’s a clear shift happening—material choices are now deeply tied to sustainability goals, regulatory scrutiny, and device functionality,” said Matt Miklos, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and M&A at Americhem. “What we’re bringing to these shows is not a catalog—it’s a pipeline of engineered solutions designed to be customized, scaled, and validated in partnership with OEMs who are navigating that complexity every day.”

Americhem’s approach emphasizes long-term material consistency, global compliance, and early design collaboration—factors increasingly prioritized by engineering and R&D teams charged with building the next wave of medical devices.

For technical inquiries or to request early access to sample materials, visit www.americhem.com/industries/healthcare/.

About Americhem

Americhem is an innovative, technology-driven leader in the global polymer industry. Its foundation is built around delivering Performance, Solutions and Trust through close collaboration with customers. All of the company's products are backed by complete technical support that ensures quality, reliability, and value. Americhem operates 10 manufacturing plants and maintains sales offices throughout the world. Visit www.Americhem.com for more information.

Engineered for medical nonwovens, Americhem’s PFAS-free nDryve™ additive delivers fluorine-free fluid repellency to surgical gowns, hygiene drapes, and barrier fabrics—addressing OEM demand for safer, sustainable performance in single-use healthcare textiles.

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