Rangers Earn Point in OT Thriller Against Avalanche

Artemi Panarin's late goal forces overtime, but Nathan MacKinnon wins it for Colorado

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:45am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a range of blues, greens, and reds, conveying the intensity and energy of the matchup.The Rangers' hard-fought battle against the league-leading Avalanche showcases their grit and determination, even in a narrow overtime defeat.NYC Today

The New York Rangers battled hard against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, forcing overtime after Artemi Panarin scored a late goal to tie the game 2-2. However, Nathan MacKinnon netted the winner for Colorado just under 3 minutes into the extra period, giving the Avalanche the 3-2 victory.

Why it matters

The Rangers' grit and determination against the top team in the league shows their resilience and ability to compete with the NHL's elite, even if they ultimately fell short of the win. The game highlighted the Rangers' strong defensive play and goaltending from Igor Shesterkin, who kept them in the game with 38 saves.

The details

The Rangers started strong, outshooting the Avalanche in the first period and hitting the post twice on the power play. However, Colorado gained momentum in the second, with Parker Kelly opening the scoring with a tip-in goal. Conor Sheary tied the game for the Rangers early in the third period, setting up Panarin's late heroics to force overtime. But Nathan MacKinnon's goal in the extra period sealed the win for the Avalanche.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • Parker Kelly scored for the Avalanche at 7:06 of the second period.
  • Conor Sheary tied the game for the Rangers just under 4:30 into the third period.
  • Artemi Panarin scored the game-tying goal for the Rangers with under 41 seconds left in regulation.
  • Nathan MacKinnon scored the game-winning goal for the Avalanche 2:46 into overtime.

The players

Artemi Panarin

A forward for the New York Rangers who scored the late game-tying goal to force overtime.

Nathan MacKinnon

A forward for the Colorado Avalanche who scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Igor Shesterkin

The goaltender for the New York Rangers who made 38 saves in the game.

Conor Sheary

A forward for the New York Rangers who scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

Parker Kelly

A forward for the Colorado Avalanche who scored the opening goal of the game.

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What they’re saying

“We showed a lot of fight out there today against the best team in the league. Even though we didn't get the win, I'm proud of the effort the guys put in.”

— Gerard Gallant, Head Coach, New York Rangers

“It was a hard-fought game, but we found a way to get the extra point. Shesterkin played great, but we were able to wear them down and capitalize in overtime.”

— Jared Bednar, Head Coach, Colorado Avalanche

What’s next

The Rangers will look to build on their strong performance when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, April 15th. The Avalanche will try to extend their point streak when they visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday, April 17th.

The takeaway

The Rangers' gutsy effort against the league-leading Avalanche shows they can compete with the NHL's elite teams. Despite the overtime loss, the team's resilience and goaltending from Shesterkin are positive signs as they continue their push for a playoff spot.