Rangers vs. Avalanche: Lineups, storylines facing top team in NHL
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.
So, even if the Rangers (10-9-2), who rank third in the NHL with a 2.48 team GAA, are able to contain the Avalanche at one end of the rink, they must still find a way to find the back of the net at the other end. That’s not so easy for the Blueshirts, who are the third-lowest scoring team in the NHL, and have four goals in their past three games, not including J.T. Miller’s shootout winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
New York managed just 19 shots on goal in each of their past two games (each a loss), including Tuesday, when they opened up this three-game road trip with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Rangers scored two goals or fewer 12 times this season, and been shut out five times, all on home ice. They did erupt for 13 goals combined in consecutive wins against the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning last week, but that’s far from their norm this season.
The Avalanche (13-1-5) sit atop the NHL standings with a robust .816 points percentage. They’ve won six games in a row, and have points in 10 straight (8-0-2). In their current winning streak, which includes a 9-1 thrashing over the Edmonton Oilers, the Avalanche outscored opponents 31-12.
Colorado hasn’t lost in regulation on home ice (7-0-2), which sets up another intriguing subplot Thursday since the Rangers are 9-2-1 on the road.
3 storylines when Rangers visit Avalanche
1. Stop Mac Attack
To stop the Avalanche, the Rangers must stop superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. MacKinnon, who scored 100+ points each of the past three seasons and was the 2023-24 Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, leads the League in scoring with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 19 games. He has five multipole-goal games this season, and in his career produced 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 20 games against the Rangers.
Makar is the reigning Norris Trophy winner and, in fact, won the award as top NHL defenseman twice. It’s always a fun sidebar to see him and New York’s Adam Fox, the 2020-21 Norris recipient, on the same sheet of ice playing again one another. Makar has a five-game point streak and leads all NHL defensemen with 25 points (six goals, 19 assists). Fox has 16 points (three goals, 13 assists), tied for seventh among League defensemen.
Looks like the Rangers will be a bit short-handed against the Avalanche, with Will Borgen again day to day with an upper-body injury.
2. Likely, unlikely threats
The Rangers have their own star power. Artemi Panarin brings a five-game point streak (two goals, seven assists) into the contest, and, after a slow start, leads New York with 19 points (rive goals, 14 assists) in 21 games. He’s also got 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 23 games against the Avalanche. Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers with seven goals, and has three in his past five games.
But a sneaky difference maker could be fourth-line center Sam Carrick. Though he has one goal this season, and none in his past 10 games, Carrick loves playing Mile High hockey. He’s scored five goals in his past seven games against the Avalanche.
3. Heartbreaker
Artturi Lehkonen broke the Rangers hearts twice last season, helping the Avalanche win both games of the season series. He scored the winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation, when the Avalanche edged the Rangers 5-4 at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 26. Twelve days earlier, Lehkonen scored the tying goal with 1:13 remaining in the third period at Ball Arena, setting up Colorado’s win 3-2 in overtime.
Five of the past six games between these teams were decided in overtime. The Avalanche own a nine-game point streak (6-0-3) against the Rangers.
As for Lehkonen, the 30-year-old forward has eight goals and 18 points in 19 games this season, after scoring a career-high 27 goals in 2024-25. He has four goals in his past four games, though he was held off the score sheet Sunday in a 4-1 win over the Islanders.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Will Cuylle — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere
Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — J.T. Miller
Conor Sheary — Noah Laba — Jonny Brodzinski
Adam Edstrom — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Carson Soucy — Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Avalanche: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Colorado Avalanche
When: Thursday Nov. 20 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Ball Arena
How to watch: MSG
