On Sunday, January 26th, the New York Rangers’ impressive 10-game point streak came to an end in a thrilling matinee matchup against the Colorado Avalanche at Madison Square Garden. Despite a valiant effort, the Rangers fell 5-4, snapping their 7-0-3 run over the past 10 games.

Head coach Peter Laviolette expressed his frustration after the game, acknowledging the team’s effort but emphasizing the importance of securing points. “I think we’ve been playing pretty well, but right now, it’s about collecting points too,” Laviolette said. “When you’ve got one point sitting there, it’s tough. Everybody’s frustrated and disappointed. The guys fought hard all day to get back in the game, and we even caught a power play at the end to try to win it. It’s a tough loss considering the effort we put in. Frustrating, for sure.”

Here are three key takeaways from the Rangers’ heartbreaking loss:

1. Rangers’ Comeback Falls Just Short

The Rangers showed resilience by erasing two separate two-goal deficits but never managed to take the lead against the Avalanche. Despite their determination and a strong record since their last regulation loss on January 4th against the Washington Capitals, Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen sealed the win with a decisive goal on a 3-on-1 rush with just 14.7 seconds left in regulation. Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Will Borgen, and Sam Carrick were the goal scorers for the Rangers, but their efforts weren’t enough to secure a victory.

2. Matt Rempe Continues to Shine

Matt Rempe played a pivotal role in the Rangers’ first goal of the game. The 22-year-old circled the net and delivered a perfect backhand pass to Sam Carrick, who converted the cross-crease feed to put New York on the board in the first period. Since returning from an eight-game suspension, Rempe has been on a roll, recording three points in his last three games—an assist in Las Vegas, his first goal of the season against Ottawa, and another assist in this matchup against Colorado. This season, Rempe has appeared in 14 games, tallying three points and a +5 rating.

3. Playoff Race Tightens

With this loss, the Rangers’ record now stands at 24-21-4, leaving them three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets, who currently hold the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are also one point behind the Ottawa Senators and two points behind the Montreal Canadiens, making every game crucial as the playoff race intensifies.

Despite the disappointment, the Rangers demonstrated their ability to battle back and compete with one of the league’s top teams. As the season progresses, they’ll need to build on their strengths and capitalize on key opportunities to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth.