Strong Start Powers Avalanche Over Rangers

Finishing a game strong is certainly important, but lately the key for the Colorado Avalanche has been coming out of the gate with fire.
The Avalanche was tenacious from the drop of the puck on Saturday and defeated the New York Rangers 3-1 in an afternoon matchup. The win was Colorado's ninth straight victory, matching the second-longest win streak in franchise history.

The Avalanche has scored the first goal in all nine contests of the stretch.
Erik Johnson got the Avs on the board nine minutes into the game when he tipped a pass from Mikko Rantanen past Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.
"I dished it to the middle to Mikko, and I just kind of filled in and he took my spot," said Johnson. "I kind of made myself available in the middle and then swung around and Mikko made a great play. We have been deadly scoring first, so that was key."

The win streak is the longest of any team in the NHL this season, and the longest since the Washington Capitals won nine in a row during the 2016-17 campaign.
"I am just happy with the way our guys are playing," said Colorado head coach Jared Bednar. "I thought we had another real strong game tonight. Good start, got the lead. Not our best second period, but I loved the way we responded in the third. We kept being the aggressors, we were up ice, putting pressure on their D. We checked well. We were getting in and out of our zone, except for that one extended shift in the third period.
"I thought our guys did a really good job. Winning habits tonight. We let them slip a little bit against San Jose, we met about it as a team and they responded. I thought they did a really nice job again. Just kind of a mirror image of the way we have been playing at home for the last little bit, and we were fortunate to get two points. I liked it."
The Avs have outscored their opponents 37-14 during the run and have scord 95 goals at home this season, the most of any team in the league.
"In the first period, we have gone over on top of the other team as quickly as possible and try to apply a lot of pressure in the O-zone," said defenseman Mark Barberio. "I think during this streak we haven't trailed, if I'm not mistaken, so I think getting a lead is huge for us."

Barberio and Johnson both assisted on the Avs' second goal of the game, a Nathan MacKinnon tally from the high slot.
MacKinnon's marker was his seventh game-winning goal of the season, a new career high and tied him for the NHL lead. It also extended his goal streak to five games, the longest by an Avalanche player since Gabriel Landeskog during the 2014-15 season.
"We are feeling really good about ourselves right now, and we just got to keep this thing rolling the best we can," said Barberio. "We are keeping it simple, we are not complicating things out there and we are getting great goaltending obviously from [Jonathan Bernier]. Just on to the next one."
Bernier made 27 saves in the victory to extend his win streak to eight games, the longest by an Avalanche goaltender since Patrick Roy had an 11-game streak from Jan. 12 to Feb. 7, 1999. Bernier has been between the pipes in Colorado's last eight outings and started in its last six.
"I think this streak means a lot to our guys because it's at home and playing in front of our fans," said Bednar. "Another great crowd tonight, they were into it right away and I think we feed off that. And our guys are hungry to keep it going. It means a lot to them, and it's showing in their play and what they say to each other on the bench. I am really happy with what I see going on right now."
The Avs will play 13 of their next 16 on the road starting with a season-long, six-game journey at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
"I think our team can continue to play the same way, but you are going into hostile environments with crowds that are behind their team instead of yours," Bednar said of the upcoming trip. "There has to be just a little extra in every aspect of your game in order to win, and that's what we are looking for."
Colorado will play in Toronto, Montreal and St. Louis, return to Denver for the All-Star Break, and then resume the trip in Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
"We got to bring the same mentality and the same effort," said Barberio. "Our starts have been great, and we just got to continue that, even if it's on the road. We have been jumping on teams really early, playing with a lot of energy out of the gate. We just got to keep that going wherever. It doesn't matter what arena we are in, we got to play the same way."

MULTI-POINT GAMES

Erik Johnson's goal and assist in the outing marked his fourth multi-point game of the season, the most since he had five during the 2015-16 season, and the second during the Avs' win streak.
Forward Mikko Rantanen notched his 11th contest of the campaign with more than one point, and all but one of those performances have come at Pepsi Center.
MacKinnon also had a multi-point outing, his 18th of the season, the most by an Avalanche player since Matt Duchene had 21 in the 2013-14 campaign.

PLAYING AT PEPSI

The victory against the Rangers ended a stretch that had Colorado play nine-of-10 and 12-of-15 at Pepsi Center.
"I think throughout this homestand, we have found a way to get ourselves going early and the crowd has a lot to do with that," said Johnson. "They were buzzing right from the start, and I think we picked up that energy from them. It feels good to have that type of atmosphere in the Pepsi Center."
Colorado improved to 10-2-0 in its last 12 outings in the Mile High City and has won eight straight games at home.
"I think that's the third, fourth really big crowd that we have won in front of this year," said Bednar. "We are seeing a little bit of excitement around our team here locally, and I think our guys have earned that."

JOST RETURNS TO GAME ACTION

Tyson Jost returned to the lineup tonight after he suffered a lower-body injury on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks.
The forward centered a line with fellow rookie J.T. Compher and Gabriel Bourque and had four shots and one hit against the Rangers in 13:45 of ice time.
Jost has been on and off of injured reserve this season. He has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 28 games played during his first full campaign in the NHL.