NEW YORK -- Jack Drury, one of the key acquisitions in the Colorado Avalanche's major trade last week, scored his first goal in his new uniform as his club outlasted the New York Rangers 5-4 on Sunday.
Artturi Lehkonen scored the tiebreaking goal with 14.7 seconds left and Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves for the Avalanche, who were playing on the back end of back-to-back games, having lost to the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
"It was pretty big," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said of the effort. "Just because, coming off two losses, it's not our most consistent segment. And tonight, in Game 51, with new guys in the lineup, we want to begin feeling good about our game, and tonight, (we had) good defensive conscience, good work in the offensive zone, and created a bunch of chances."
Defenseman Cale Makar scored twice and assisted on the winning goal while Juuso Parssinen also scored for the Avalanche, who won for the first time since acquiring Martin Necas and Drury in the league-rattling trade Friday that sent top Colorado scorer Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Necas and Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon each had two assists in the victory.
"I thought he was great, I thought that whole line was good," Bednar said of Necas. "I think that Marty could have had three goals himself. He did a lot of good things."
MacKinnon concurred with his coach.
"He's been awesome," he said of Necas. "Pretty quick turnaround for him. So, with those circumstances, he's still looked unreal. The plays that he made tonight, with his speed, he's a great passer ... and he was everywhere."
The Rangers trailed 4-2 late in the second before defenseman Will Borgen scored at 18:05 followed by Artemi Panarin's 21st goal of the season to tie it at 15:02 of the third.
But after the Rangers failed to score on a late third-period power play, Lehkonen beat Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin to finish a slick passing play with Makar for his 20th goal.
"I thought we got good contributions throughout our lineup," Bednar said. "And to be able to stay with it, and end it that way, was nice."
Sam Carrick and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Rangers, who lost for the first time in regulation since Jan. 4.
Drury opened the scoring with his fourth of the season. Makar made it 2-0 just 43 seconds later.
Carrick answered with his fifth of the season at 7:10. Trocheck followed with his 15th of the season at 8:36.
Makar scored his second of the game and 18th this season on the power play at 14:36 of the first. Makar leads all NHL defensemen with 56 points.
Shesterkin made 16 saves for the Rangers, who saw their four-game home winning streak snapped. New York is 8-2-3 in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
