New York, NY (Sports Network) - Chris Stewart kept up his hot play with a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the third period, as the Colorado Avalanche ended their five-game road trip with a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers.
Stewart extended his goal streak to three games -- four in that span -- for the Avs, who went 3-2 on their excursion. Daniel Winnik also scored, while John Michael-Liles registered an assist to stretch his helpers streak to six games, tied for the longest in franchise history to start a season.
Craig Anderson picked up his third win of the season after stopping 31-of-32 shots.
Alex Frolov scored for the shorthanded Rangers, who lost for the third time in four games to start the season (1-2-1). New York played its home opener last Friday and lost captain Chris Drury for six weeks with a broken finger and Marian Gaborik for three weeks with a separated shoulder.
Henrik Lundqvist allowed all three goals on 34 shots in defeat.
With the game tied at one in the third period, the Avalanche scored twice in 26 seconds to take control.
With 12:40 to go, Paul Stastny held the puck behind the net while Stewart gained position at the mouth of the crease. Stastny ripped off a quick pass, which Stewart redirected into the net for a 2-1 lead.
Just a short time later, Lundqvist lost the puck in the crease, and Winnik was there to slam it home before the netminder could find it.
Anderson shut the door the rest of the way.
Stewart scored for the third straight game to put the Avs on top in the opening period.
While on the power play, Liles fired a wrist shot from the right circle that hugged the ice. Stewart was stationed in front of the net, where he redirected it up into the air and over Lundqvist at 12:41.
With 1:51 remaining in the period, after matching minors, the Rangers tied it on Frolov's first goal with his new team. A failed odd-man rush by Colorado led to another odd-man rush for New York, and Frolov's shot from the right side snuck under Anderson's pads for a 1-1 score.
New York squandered a pair of power play opportunities in a scoreless second period, then went into the third with 1:41 of time with the man advantage; however, the Rangers, who went 0-for-5 on the power play in the game, couldn't covert.
The Rangers also announced Monday that forward Vinny Prospal will be out indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery...Stastny had an assist in six straight game to start the 2008-09 season...Colorado went 2-for-3 on the man- advantage, which equaled its amount of power play goals in the first five games combined...The Avs have won 11 of 14 against the Rangers.