The New York Rangers, under head coach Mike Sullivan, struggled to contain the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche in Thursday’s 6-3 loss, as center Nathan MacKinnon and his teammates showcased the depth and skill that extended Colorado’s win streak to seven games.
The game underscored the discrepancy between the two clubs. Colorado controlled critical moments, and the Rangers were unable to capitalize on power-play opportunities consistently, allowing the Avalanche to pull ahead in the third period.
“That’s definitely the best team that we’ve played all year, and they might be the best team in the league right now with how explosive they are,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss, according to The New York Post. “There were just critical moments in the game where we’ve got to just do a better job managing.”
What do the Rangers need to fix after this loss?
Despite flashes of strong play, the Rangers were limited to just four shots on goal in the middle period while the Avalanche fired 14 at Igor Shesterkin. Mika Zibanejad acknowledged the need for discipline and better penalty management.
Head coach Mike Sullivan of the New York Rangers talks to his team during a timeout. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
“I feel like we could have maybe had one or two more power plays,” Zibanejad said. “Just got to do a better job staying out of the box, obviously. But power play came through in a way, so that’s a positive that we can take with us.”
The loss extends the Rangers’ losing streak to three games, and Sullivan emphasized that while there were positives to take from the performance, addressing roster gaps will be crucial in upcoming matchups against elite competition.
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