NEW YORK — Cale Makar was denied a hat trick Sunday afternoon. He won the game for the Colorado Avalanche anyway.
Makar came out of the penalty box, picked off a pass and set up Artturi Lehkonen with 14.7 seconds in the third period for the winning goal in a wild 5-4 victory for the Avs against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Artemi Panarin tied this game with 4:58 remaining in the third period. New York was making a hard push down a goal, and the Rangers fired five straight shots at Mackenzie Blackwood before Panarin got just enough of a rebound after Vincent Trocheck’s attempt to get the puck across the goal line.