Preview
Rangers-Avalanche Preview
Associated Press

Craig Anderson hasn't surrendered many goals in Colorado over the past two weeks, and the Avalanche hasn't lost to the New York Rangers on home ice in more than a decade.

None of this bodes well for the Rangers' sputtering offense.

Anderson, who might make his ninth consecutive start for Colorado, looks to continue his outstanding play at home Sunday night against New York. The Rangers are looking to avoid their first six-game skid in more than three years.

Anderson has been a workhorse this season for Colorado (30-17-6), starting all six home games this month and 45 overall. He stopped 28 shots in Friday's 3-2 loss at Dallas after allowing one goal or less in each of his previous five starts - all at home.

Matt Duchene and T.J. Galiardi scored for the Avalanche, which has lost back-to-back games following a season-best six-game winning streak. They haven't lost three straight since Nov. 25-28.

Colorado seems to have a good chance to get a win in its return to Pepsi Center, where Anderson is 5-3-0 with a 1.39 goals-against average and two shutouts in his last eight games.

In his only career start against New York on Nov. 28, 2008, Anderson - then with Florida - turned away 43 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss.

Colorado and the Rangers (24-24-7) met last February at Madison Square Garden, where New York won 6-1 to snap a seven-game losing streak in the series. It was the Rangers' first win over the Avalanche since Nov. 20, 2001, but it's been even longer since their last victory in Denver.

The Avalanche has won five consecutive home games over New York following a 6-3 loss on Dec. 31, 1998. This will be the first meeting at Pepsi Center since Colorado's 4-3 victory on Dec. 21, 2007.

The Rangers arrive there after Saturday's 3-2 loss at Phoenix that matched a season high five-game losing streak. Marian Gaborik and Sean Avery scored third-period goals for New York, which ended a 202-minute road scoreless streak with 10:18 remaining.




Tickets: Tonight vs. Rangers
http://cdn.nhl.com/images/upload/2009/01/doc_icon.gif Game Notes: Tonight vs. NYR
http://cdn.nhl.com/images/upload/2009/01/doc_icon.gif Alumni Night: Curtis Leschyshyn
Altitude TV: Cumiskey a Teacher
Highlights: @ NYR (02-28-09) 

"We stayed with it and got rewarded at the end, just not enough," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "We battled hard, we regrouped and we made a game out of it."

Despite the late rally, New York's offense has been awful during the skid, combining for just five goals while scoring two or less in each game. The Rangers, who haven't lost six in a row since a seven-game skid from Dec. 16-29, 2006, are 2-7-1 since Jan. 12, tallying 14 goals in the victories but only six in the defeats.

An ineffective power play has been a big reason for this offensive drought, and getting it back on track against the Avalanche won't be easy.

New York has failed to score on all 16 opportunities with the man advantage during the losing streak, while Colorado has killed 27-of-28 chances over the last seven games.

The Rangers also might have to play a second straight game without No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who was out Saturday with the flu after starting 26-of-28 games since Nov. 30. Rookie Chad Johnson, making just his third start of the season, made 21 saves against the Coyotes.




SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
P. Parenteau 48 18 25 -11 43
M. Duchene 47 17 26 -12 43
P. Stastny 40 9 15 -7 24
J. McGinn 47 11 11 -13 22
J. Mitchell 47 10 10 5 20
R. O'Reilly 29 6 14 -3 20
G. Landeskog 36 9 8 -4 17
T. Barrie 32 2 11 -11 13
C. McLeod 48 8 4 4 12
M. Hejduk 29 4 7 -7 11
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
J. Giguere 5 4 4 .908 2.84
S. Varlamov 11 21 3 .903 3.02
Avs Alert
coloradoavalanche.com is the official Web site of the Colorado Avalanche. The Colorado Avalanche and coloradoavalanche.com are trademarks of the Colorado Avalanche Hockey Team, Inc.  NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2013 Colorado Avalanche Hockey Team, Inc. and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.