Cale Makar scored twice and set up the tiebreaking goal by Artturi Lehkonen with 15 seconds remaining as the revamped Colorado Avalanche blew a pair of two-goal leads before earning a dramatic 5-4 victory over the host New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon.
The Avalanche beat the Rangers for the second time on a late goal and won after goalie Mackenzie Blackwood made a sliding save on Mika Zibanejad’s one-timer with 61 seconds left during a holding-the-stick penalty to Makar.
Makar’s penalty expired with 24 seconds left and upon exiting the penalty box the defenseman intercepted a cross-ice pass from Will Borgen intended for Artemi Panarin at the blue line in New York’s offensive zone.
Makar gained possession, started a 3-on-1 and made a pass from the right circle by Borgen to Lehkonen, who lifted the puck over Igor Shesterkin.
The Rangers had forged a 4-4 tie when Panarin sent a rebound of Vincent Trocheck’s shot into the vacated left side of the net with 4:58 left.
Makar scored both of his goals in the first period, including a power-play score at the 5:24 mark that gave the Avalanche a 3-2 lead.
Makar scored his first goal 43 seconds after newcomer Jack Drury scored. Juuso Parssinen also scored for the Avs, while Nathan MacKinnon and new acquisition Martin Necas set up both Makar goals.
Makar’s big day helped the Avalanche win for the fifth time in 12 games (5-5-2) since a six-game winning streak Dec. 19-Jan. 2.
Sam Carrick and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers 86 seconds apart in the opening period before Makar tallied during a holding penalty to Adam Fox. Borgen also scored for the Rangers, who saw a 10-game points streak stopped.
Blackwood stopped 34 shots while Shesterkin allowed five goals on 21 shots.
Drury opened the scoring 5:43 into the contest by deflecting Keaton Middleton’s point shot. Makar converted a backhanded pass from MacKinnon into his first goal by sending a shot from the edge of the right circle by Shesterkin at 6:26 of the first.
Carrick made it 2-1 with 12:50 left by converting a tap-in from the left edge of the crease. Trocheck scored with 11:24 left when he finished off a 2-on-1 with Alexis Lafreniere by sliding the puck into the vacated right side of the net.
–Field Level Media
