After an electrifying comeback win against the Dallas Stars on Garden ice this past Tuesday, followed by a gutsy victory in Ottawa against the Senators, the Rangers welcomed the NHL’s top team, the Colorado Avalanche, to Madison Square Garden. What unfolded was an absolute battle of will and skill, showcasing some of the game’s best players in an afternoon tilt at the world’s most famous arena.
The early start seemed to throw off the Avalanche in the opening period, as the Rangers kept play pinned in Colorado’s defensive zone. They leaned on the best recipe against a team boasting the league’s highest goals-per-game average: the best defense is a good offense, and maintaining possession of the puck.