NEW YORK -- Logan O'Connor scored twice in a 22-second span in a five-goal second period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Rangers 7-3 on Wednesday night, ending New York's seven-game winning streak.
Mikko Rantanen also scored twice for Colarado. Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri and Alex Newhook added goals, and Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves. Kadri, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard each had two assists as the Avalanche improved to 8-2-1 in their last 11 games.
Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba had a goal and an assist and delivered a crushing check in the second straight game. One night after appearing to drive his right shoulder into the chin of Chicago's Jujhar Khaira, sending the Blackhawks' forward to the hospital and into concussion protocol, Trouba hit Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon with a shoulder check midway through the second period. The Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog immediately dropped his gloves and squared off against Trouba.
Nils Lundkvist and Filip Chytil also scored for the Rangers, who lost at home for the first time since Oct. 25 against Calgary. Rangers rookie Adam Huska made his NHL debut and finished with 32 saves.
Nazem Kadri exited early in the third and did not return. Head coach Jared Bednar said after the game the centre sustained a lower-body injury but did not provide any further information. The 31-year-old has 34 points in 22 games. Last season, in 56 games, he had 32 points.
NOTES: The Rangers and Avalanche last met in Denver on March 11, 2020, New York's last game before the pandemic shutdown. Their previous MSG meeting was Jan. 7, 2020, when Igor Shesterkin made his NHL debut in a 5-3 Rangers win. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox played his 150th career game and had his seven-game assist streak snapped. The Rangers scratched defenseman Libor Hajek and Jarred Tinordi plus center Morgan Barron. The Avalanche scratched center Jayson Megna and defenseman Bowen Byram.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Visit Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
Avalanche: Host Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
