One of the hallmarks for the New York Rangers this season is their vastly improved play on the defensive side of the puck. That gets put to the test in a big way Thursday night, when the Rangers face off against the explosive Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.
In a way, it’s the classic matchup pitting a solid defensive team against one with a high-powered offense. Except that the Avalanche are not only the highest-scoring team in the NHL, averaging 4.11 goals per game, but they’re the stingiest team defensively, too, allowing 2.37 goals against per game.