Erik Johnson, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist for Colorado as the Avalanche stretched their winning streak to nine with a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers in a Saturday matinee in Denver.

The Avalanche have scored first in all nine of these games.

MacKinnon leads the Avalanche in goals (23), assists (36) and points (59), and he came through for them again on Saturday, getting a hand in the first two of his team's goals.

Colorado also kept the New York offense quiet, outshooting the Rangers, 37-28.

Johnson gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at the nine-minute mark of the first period. Rantanen fired a great pass from near the right boards that Johnson redirected past New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

MacKinnon got the second assist on that goal.

Colorado made it 2-0 early in the second period when MacKinnon scored on a shot from the high slot at 3:24. Johnson made the pass that set up MacKinnon's goal.

The Rangers answered with a power-play goal 6:55 into the second period. Mats Zuccarello fired one from near the right wall, and Pavel Buchnevich tipped it home from in front, cutting the lead to 2-1.

However, New York could not tie the game, and Rantanen sealed the victory with his empty-net goal that came with one second remaining in the third period.

Lundqvist finished with 34 saves, 14 of which came in the third period before the Rangers pulled him for the sixth attacker late.

Colorado goalie Jonathan Bernier made 27 saves to help the Avalanche extend their winning streak.

The Rangers began a four-game Western trip with this game, and they'll be without defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, out for an unspecified period due to knee surgery that's coming on Monday. He will have a torn meniscus in his left knee fixed.

New York called up Anthony DeAngelo from the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, and he played in Saturday's game. Forward Dan Catenacci also was recalled from Hartford.

--Field Level Media