Rangers defeat Avalanche in shootout, MacKinnon's point streaks end

DENVER -- Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves then stopped two more in the shootout, and the New York Rangers won 3-2 against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Thursday.

Kaapo Kakko and Chris Kreider scored for the Rangers (49-20-4), who have won four in a row and six of their past seven games. The Rangers lead the NHL with 49 wins and 102 points, one ahead of the Dallas Stars.

“I just think it was tight, like we were really focusing on playing tight defense. They've been pretty tight as well,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “We knew that coming in here, with their team speed and their skill, and they have game breakers, that we needed to play the game hard in the right way, and I thought that we did that it.”

Casey Mittelstadt scored, and Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves for the Avalanche (46-21-6), who have lost two in a row after winning nine straight.

Colorado is second in the Central Division, three points behind the Stars.

Nathan MacKinnon had his point streak end at 19 games, and his season-opening home point streak end at 35 games. He had 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists) during his home streak, which was the second-longest in NHL history. Wayne Gretzky owns the record at 40 games (Los Angeles Kings, 1988-89).

“I think it's a positive thing. Guys are excited for him, and guys get excited on our team when other players hit milestones and have big nights,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “It's a tight group in there, and so I think it's been a real positive thing, especially down the last little bit. I don't think anyone thinks about it when he's at 15, 16, 17, 20, whatever. But you start getting to when he starts passing the No. 3 and No. 2 on the list, I think guys are all like really rooting for him.”

Mittelstadt gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 19:27 of the second period. He took a pass from Brandon Duhaime in the right circle, cut toward the net, and scored far side with a snap shot under the blocker.

“Obviously, the Rangers have a lot of skill, and that's going to be a good postseason team,” Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar said. “These are the types of teams we're going to see in the next whatever, five, six, seven games here. So we're finishing the season run with a lot of playoff teams, which is good for us.”

Kakko tied it 1-1 at 2:59 of the third period when he put a shot from behind the net off the back of Georgiev.

“I think we should be very confident. Obviously tonight, I thought there were spurts where they were taking it to us, but thankfully we have the best goalie in the league to help us with that,” Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said. “I think we've been playing a really tight group of five hockey out there, and it's been it's been a lot of fun.”

Kreider scored to make it 2-1 with a power-play goal at 9:35. Artemi Panarin’s initial shot from inside the blue line hit Vincent Trocheck in front of the net and caromed over to Kreider for the tap-in.

Colorado challenged the play for a missed hand pass on the shot, but the goal was upheld following video review.

“We’ve gone into a shootout every time we play these guys. They’re a really good hockey team and I think we did a really good job of containing them offensively,” Trocheck said. “With a team like that, that’s a tall order.”

Devon Toews was credited with the goal that tied it 2-2 at 12:47 after Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren knocked in the rebound of Toews’ initial shot from the blue line.

“We got to remain even-keeled, and I think that's what the best teams do,” said Makar. “I felt like tonight, even when they got the second one, we were right back on the horse and getting pucks to their net.”

Panarin and Mika Zibanejad scored in the shootout, and Shesterkin stopped Mittelstadt and Mikko Rantanen.

“It was good hockey. You know my thoughts on the shootout. Once it goes to a shootout, you might as well flip a coin,” Bednar said. “It was a tight, tight checking hockey game, and we had our chances to win it in overtime. We didn't capitalize and their goalie made some saves, and it goes to a shootout. I thought it was a well-played hockey game by both teams. I have no problem with the way we played.”

NOTES: Kreider scored his 106th power-play goal, tying Brian Leetch for the third in Rangers history (Camille Henry 116; Rod Gilbert 108). … Panarin extended his point streak to four games (five goals, four assists). … Lindgren, who missed the previous four games with a lower-body injury, played 21:11.