Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) and forward Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrate after Lehkonen's winning goal with seconds left in an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

Lehkonen’s late goal gives Avs 5-4 victory over the Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen scored the tiebreaking goal with 14.7 seconds left and Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the New York Rangers 5-4 on Sunday.

Defenseman Cale Makar scored twice and assisted on the winning goal while Jack Drury and Juuso Parssinen also scored for the Avalanche, who won for the first time since acquiring Martin Necas and Drury in a trade Friday that sent top Colorado scorer Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Necas and Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon each had two assists.

The Rangers trailed 4-2 late in the second before defenseman Will Borgen scored at 18:05 followed by Artemi Panarin’s 21st goal of the season to tie it at 15:02 of the third.

But after the Rangers failed to score on a late third-period power play, Lehkonen beat Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin to finish a slick passing play with Makar for his 20th goal.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) and forward Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrate after Lehkonen’s winning goal with seconds left in an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

Sam Carrick and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Rangers, who lost for the first time in regulation since Jan. 4.

Drury opened the scoring with his fourth of the season and first with Colorado. Makar made it 2-0 just 43 seconds later.

Carrick answered with his fifth of the season at 7:10. Trocheck followed with his 15th of the season at 8:36.

Makar scored his second of the game and 18th this season on the power play at 14:36 of the first. Makar leads all NHL defensemen with 56 points.

Parssinen made it 4-2 at 16:01 of the second.

New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller (79) watches Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) play the puck from the ice during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

Shesterkin made 16 saves for the Rangers.

Takeaways

Rangers: Had their four-game home winning streak snapped. New York is 8-2-3 in January.

Avalanche: Colorado is 13-5-1 in its past 19 games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Key moment

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews (7) and New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

Blackwood made a dazzling glove save on Mika Zibanejad’s one-timer with a minute left in the third.

Key stats

Colorado defensemen have a league-leading 127 points (29 goals, 98 assists) this season.

Up next

Avalanche: visit New York Islanders on Tuesday.

Colorado Avalanche center Parker Kelly (17) skates up ice between New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) and Rangers forward Artemi Panarin (10) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

Rangers: host Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin (31) covers the puck as Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen, left, Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) and Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) close in during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas, right, skates upice with the puck as New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, left, pursues during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

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