And in his own unique way, Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen liked seeing his old friend, Gabriel Landeskog. Game 3 between the Stars and the Colorado Avalanche was a special game. Landeskog made his magical return to hockey after a 1000+ day absence from playing. The last time he played an NHL game was in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

Colorado’s captain hadn’t played in an NHL game since 2022. Against long odds, he made his way back in Game 3 versus Dallas.

Gabriel Landeskog is back. The Colorado Avalanche captain hasn't played since the 2021-22 season due to issues with his right knee, but he'll return to the ice on Wednesday night in his team's Game 3 matchup in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars.