An Avalanche of Heartbreak: Rangers' point streak ends in gut-wrenching loss

Fresh off his contract extension, Borgen got the home side back in it. After solid offensive zone pressure, Borgen worked behind the net, setting up Will Cuylle, who fed Reilly Smith for a slot shot. Blackwood made the initial stop, but Borgen poked in the rebound to cut the lead to 4-3.

New York had another prime chance late when Chytil pounced on a Blackwood rebound, but the Avalanche goaltender made a big save.

Through 40 minutes, the Rangers led in high-danger chances, 12-5, but still trailed on the scoreboard. Still, with Colorado playing on 24 hours' rest and the Rangers on a full 63, it's the perfect setup for a third-period rally at MSG.

The Avalanche of Heartbreak:

The Rangers had their chances early, with Girard's shot clanging off the post to keep it 4-3 and a power play opportunity after Casey Mittelstadt was sent off for cross-checking Fox. Unfortunately, the man advantage was a mess, with Logan O'Connor nearly scoring on a breakaway and the Blueshirts unable to set up anything dangerous.

It was a frustrating start, as Chytil's slot chance was denied by Blackwood, and Miles Wood made a fantastic defensive play, knocking Lafrenière off the puck as he eyed an open net. Ross Colton followed with a key block on a Trocheck odd-man rush. Colorado's defense defense held firm, forcing the Rangers to the perimeter for much of the frame. The third line — featuring Kreider, Chytil, and Kaliyev — continued to look out of sync, and chemistry questions bubbled up. Meanwhile, the fourth line of Rempe and Edstrom shone with thoughtful, responsible hockey, helping to neutralize Colorado's top line.

Still, the Rangers were relentless. With 6:25 left, the Blueshirts were outshooting the Avalanche 10-2 in the period, and their push finally paid off. Panarin momentarily redeemed himself by cashing in on a rebound off Trocheck's shot to tie the game at 4 with just under five minutes to play. The Garden was rocking.

New York kept the pressure on, earning a late power play when Makar was called for holding with 2:24 remaining. Yet just when the hosts were ready to steal a victory, Blackwood gloved down a Zibanejad one-timer with a minute left as Kreider screened in front. Then, with 14.7 seconds left in regulation, disaster struck. Makar came out of the penalty box, stole a puck, and led a 3-on-1 rush. He fed Lehkonen, who buried the game-winner to silence the Garden. The Avalanche escaped with a 5-4 victory, handing the Rangers a gut-wrenching loss.

Yes, Panarin was gassed even after head coach Peter Laviolette gave him a breather with a timeout, but he had to put more effort into the backcheck. Makar jumped out of the box, and Panarin didn't even try to get back, leading to that fatal rush. It's tough because he tied the game, but you've got to empty the tank, especially when the game's on the line. That one stings.

Despite dominating the third period, outshooting Colorado 16-4 and nearly hitting 40 shots overall, the Rangers left the rink empty-handed in the standings. They suffered their second backbreaking loss to Colorado in as many weeks. While they can hang with the big boys, the Blueshirts need their stars to shine when the stakes are their highest. Unfortunately, Zibanejad, Panarin, and Kreider went dark when the game called for light.