Game Preview: New York Rangers vs Colorado Avalanche - Key Players to Watch 

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Mar 28, 2024 23:19 GMT

The NHL's best team, the New York Rangers, is in the mile-high city to visit the Colorado Avalanche, one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Although New York is the only team with 100 points, that could change by the night's end, while Colorado could get to 99 with a win over the Blueshirts.

In March, the Rangers are 8-3-1 and have won three straight. Meanwhile, the Avalanche recently lost a nine-game win streak, falling 2-1 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. They are 11-2-0 in their past 13 games and are still trailing the Dallas Stars in their quest to repeat as Central Division champions.

Artemi Panarin vs. Nathan MacKinnon showdown for Rangers-Avalanche game

Tonight's contest features two of the NHL's top scorers, Artemi Panarin and Nathan MacKinnon. Although Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov is leading the league in scoring with 124 points, MacKinnon is just behind him with 123 points.

After smashing his best of 111 points last season, MacKinnon is on the verge of 50 goals for the first time in his career, with 45 lamplighters in 72 games. He's on a 19-game point streak (13 goals and 25 assists) and has gone only 10 games without a point in 2023-24.

In New York, Panarin is having the best season of his career. He surpassed 100 points for the first time and could reach 50 goals, smashing his previous career high of 32. During March, he's collected 20 points, eight goals and 12 assists.

Goalie Showdown: Igor Shesterkin vs. Alexandar Georgiev

Before the All-Star Game, Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin had a subpar season with a 19-12-1 record and a questionable .889 save percentage (SV%). However, after playing in the game and having a break when the season resumed, he responded in grade fashion with a 12-3-1 record and .931 SV%.

Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

Shesterkin didn't have a single shutout in his first 34 appearances and now has three in the past 16 contests. During his career, he's 2-0-1 against the Avalanche with a .949 SV% and a 1.91 goals-against average (GAA).

Former Rangers puck-stopper Alexandar Georgiev will start his 57th contest. Naturally, with that much ice time, he's leading the NHL with 37 wins while finally raising his SV% numbers above .900, sitting at .903.

In the past 12 games, he's 10-2-0 and is currently riding a six-game winning streak, during which he's posted a .924 SV% and a 2.16 GAA. Since leaving the Rangers in 2022, he's 1-0-2 against his former club, with an impressive .952 SV% and 1.56 GAA.

Secondary stars: Vincent Trocheck vs. Mikko Rantanen

Five current NHL players have 100 points in 2023-24, and Mikko Rantanen is the next closest with 97 points. After 72 games, he's scored at least two or more points in 28 contests, going pointless 19 times, including the previous meeting with New York on Feb. 5.

In the past three seasons, he's averaged 98 points and is only eight points away from breaking his career high of 105 in 2022-23. Additionally, Rantanen is almost a point-per-game player against the Rangers, with 11 points (eight goals) in 12 matchups.

Outside of Panarin's heroics, the next best scorer in New York is Vincent Trocheck with 72 points. As one of the Rangers' top forwards, he's three points shy of his career high of 75 points (2017-18) and is only five lamplighters away from reaching 30 goals for the first time in six seasons.

However, Trocheck has just six career points against the Avalanche, tied for the lowest production against any opponent besides the recent expansion Seattle Kraken.

As a threat on the man advantage and as someone who isn't shy about hitting an opponent, Trocheck has five game-winners and could be a difference-maker anytime he's on the ice.