It was a goaltending showdown from start to finish, and the Avalanche prevailed.
In a game that saw a total of 90 shots on goal, Colorado forward Evan Rodrigues netted the shootout winner to hand the Rangers a 3-2 loss Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Artemi Panarin was the only Ranger to score in the shootout.All eyes at the Garden were on former Rangers backup netminder Alexandar Georgiev, who took his spot between the pipes — as the No. 1 goalie he always believed he was — across the ice from the goaltender he once played behind.
Alexander Georgiev stops Alexis Lafrenière’s shot in the shootout to clinch the Avalanche’s 2-1 win over the Rangers.On the power play for the Rangers, however, Shesterkin’s rare mishandling of the puck resulted in a go-ahead shorthanded goal for the Avalanche. Colorado forward Andrew Cogliano was aggressive on the forecheck and stole the puck from Shesterkin, who wasn’t able to get set in net before Logan O’Connor scored 59 seconds into the final frame.
When Kaapo Kakko was called for hooking at 10:25 of the first, the Avalanche’s red-hot power play blazed its way to a 1-0 lead. Cale Makar’s shot was tipped in by Valeri Nichushkin at 11:40 for Colorado’s 10th power-play goal in 18 chances this season.Robert Sabo