Associated Press
Colorado rookie Gabriel Landeskog broke a second-period tie, and Semyon Varlamov made 41 saves to lift the Avalanche over the Rangers 3-1 on Saturday night.
Landeskog gave the Avalanche the lead, and Varlamov made it stand up as playoff-hopeful Colorado finished a 2-0-1 Eastern road trip.
Defenseman Matt Hunwick got the Avalanche even in the first period after Mats Zuccarello gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Paul Stastny added an empty-net, power-play goal with 13.1 seconds left to make it 3-1.
The Rangers got back goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (flu), captain Ryan Callahan (bruised foot) and defenseman Michael Del Zotto (hip), and they had their chances against Varlamov, but only got one puck past him.
Zuccarello, in his fourth game back with the Rangers since being recalled from the AHL last week, netted his first of the season 10:43 into the game. The 5-foot-7 winger worked his way to the front of the net, got his stick on Dan Girardi's shot from the right wing boards, and steered it between Varlamov's pads - even with Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson leaning on his back.
It was Zuccarello's first goal since March 6, 2011 -- a span of 16 NHL games -- and the seventh of his NHL career. The goal also was the first in three games scored by someone other than the potent line combination of Marian Gaborik, Richards, and Carl Hagelin, who had netted the past seven.
• COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY
|
STAT OF THE GAME
The Rangers out-shot the Avalanche 42-20. The Blueshirts’ 42 shots on goal marks a season-high, and is the most since they registered 47 shots on goal against the Islanders on March 15, 2011. This was the third time this season the Rangers posted 40 shots in a game. |
|
|
| (selected by newyorkrangers.com) |
|
|
|
| 1. Lundqvist |
2. Callahan |
3. Zuccarello |
|
[41-35-6]
[51-24-7]