SALT LAKE CITY — The Rangers had a goal advantage on the NHL-leading Avalanche on two separate occasions during their 6-3 loss Thursday night in Denver, but it never quite felt like they were in control.
Such has been the case several times already this season, where the Blueshirts are technically one play away from securing at least one point — or maybe two — despite their overall performance.
Just nine of their 22 games have actually resulted in a one-goal difference. Five of them have been losses.
But in reality, the Rangers have spent a notable portion of their season in one-goal battles or tie games that theoretically could go either way.
More often than not, however, the eye test has indicated it probably won’t go the Rangers’ way.
“It pisses me off when we’re in these one-goal games,” captain J.T. Miller said after the Rangers lost 3-2 in Vegas to kick off this three-game road trip. “It’s disappointing because I want to do more. That being said, I don’t think I need to change a lot to get there. It’s close. It’s just not clicking. The timing’s off. If I start chasing the game that way, it’s going to turn ugly for me. So I got to make sure I stay the right way and just worry about my own game and try not to get too frustrated. But the fact of the matter is we’ve lost a lot of one-goal games and I’m not producing.”
New York Rangers center J.T. Miller, center, tries to redirect the puck past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood, right, as defenseman Devon Toews covers in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Denver. AP
In 12 games this season, the Rangers have either trailed by one goal or been tied going into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
When the Rangers have been down one going into the third, they own a telling 1-4-1 record.
The loss in Colorado, which was a 2-2 game going into the third period, gave the Rangers a 2-3-1 record when tied with their opponent going into the final frame.
The two wins were scenarios where their opponents also earned a point: the overtime victory in Seattle and the shootout win in Columbus.
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“We get a huge power-play goal to tie it up in the third period, and then the next shift, we give one up,” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday night. “That’s what I’m talking about. Those are moments in the game where we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got a heightened level of intensity and a heightened level of awareness. And we just didn’t get it done in those circumstances.”
The Rangers have struggled with defending and protecting leads, while also lacking the resiliency needed to rally in certain situations.
Sam Malinski of the Colorado Avalanche fires a shot against the New York Rangers in the second period at Ball Arena on November 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Getty Images
Their two comeback victories — a three-goal third period in Montreal and a two-goal third to tie it before winning in OT in Edmonton — were some of their better performances.
Considering the way scoreboards have looked above them for a majority of the season, it’s understandable why the Rangers have felt like they are right there.
The Rangers harped on their abundance of chances early on because, in several instances, one goal could’ve changed the entire game.
But as more losses pile up, the less and less it’ll matter if it was a close game or not.