Purple Hayes: Kevin Hayes finishes off a beauty on Semyon Varlamov.
AP Photo by David Zalubowski/Getty Images

This one won’t be remembered as a Picasso. For a second straight game, the Rangers won ugly outscoring the Avalanche 6-3. They overcame an awful stretch in the first half of the third period that saw Colorado get the first 11 shots erasing a 3-1 deficit. Astonishingly, the Rangers first shot went in with Carl Hagelin getting the winner with 7:58 left.

Rick Nash added his league-leading 34th and Ryan McDonagh scored a power play empty netter for the final margin. Emerging freshman Kevin Hayes had a goal and two assists in front of his proud father. Every father was in attendance as part of the cool Fathers’ Road Trip. That included Nash’s, who towered over MSG tandem Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti during the telecast. His son continues to play like a Hart candidate scoring and setting up another. Reunited with Mats Zuccarello (goal to extend point streak to seven) and Derick Brassard, Nash continues to carry the team.

On a night where the unit of Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis and Chris Kreider struggled again, the Rangers overcame it due to Nash and Hayes. Both were dominant. Ever since Hagelin joined Hayes, they’ve been a formidable duo. J.T. Miller was the third wheel finishing with a assist and plus-three rating. He did take a bad penalty followed by another undisciplined one from Dan Girardi that handed the Avs a long 5-on-3. Their power play was so atrocious, it barely tested Cam Talbot. Talbot allowed three goals on 29 shots but was much sharper throughout. None of the three he gave up were his fault.

In the early going, it looked like they would run the Avalanche out of the building. A great Hayes feed resulted in an unguarded Dan Boyle doing a ridiculous playground move going backhand to beat Semyon Varlamov. Leading by one, Hayes undressed the Avalanche early in the second scoring a highlight reel goal. It’s one that’ll be replayed for a while. I’ll put it up soon.

For so long, the Rangers had total control of the neutral zone. They locked down the Avs and threatened to blow them out. But they got lazy. A bad characteristic that keeps happening. Finally, Colorado pinned in the Stepan unit for a minute and got back in the game. Gabriel Landeskog got to a loose puck in the slot and buried it past a helpless Talbot cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 7:14 left. John Mitchell and Nathan MacKinnon added assists.

Following an Avalanche of chances, the Rangers countered with Nash threading the needle to Zuccarello for a perfect wrist shot restoring a two-goal lead with 3:59 left in the second. Brassard drew the secondary helper. When the period ended, Hagelin warned that they must remember to finish the game unlike what happened at Toronto. His teammates didn’t listen.

Asleep for a majority of the third, they easily blew a 3-1 lead. First, an unchecked Jarome Iginla got to a Max Talbot rebound and buried his 17th. After a Colorado flurry, they finally tied it when defensive defenseman Jan Hedja found an Iginla rebound and drove home his first past Cam Talbot at 10:44. It was the end result of a brutal St. Louis turnover. He really has struggled in every aspect. The longer this poor stretch goes on, the less likely he won’t re-sign. Especially with Zuccarello waking up.

But as they have done lately, the tandem of Hayes and Hagelin bailed them out. Finally able to muster an attack, Hayes took a Kevin Klein feed and fired in front for a Hagelin deflection that gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead with 7:58 left. It was fitting that it was Hagelin because he’s really raised his level. He is a second half player. The goal gave him points in his last three. Over the last 10, Hagelin has four goals and four assists with a plus-six rating.

”Obviously it gave us momentum,” Hagelin said. ”They were dominating us for 10 minutes in the third. When you give a team like that a lot of room to skate they’re going to make plays.”

His younger linemate Hayes is playing very well. With a career high three points, he has a four-game point streak (2-4-6) and is 4-5-9 and plus-four over the past 10.

”I was thinking, ‘get it deep,’ but there was no one in front of me,” said Hayes of his highlight reel goal. ”The (defenseman) gave me some space and I cut it back.”

That special combination of skating, patience and skill is what makes Hayes someone to keep an eye on. He has gotten a lot better. His confidence is growing. By the Spring, he could be ready for prime time.

If only the same could be said of Tanner Glass. He was a minus again after taking a bad penalty. For the season, he has one assist and is a team worst minus-17. Between him and Lee Stempniak, you really have to wonder when Glen Sather will make a move. No disrespect to either. They give an honest effort. It’s painfully obvious that neither should be a regular. They’re dragging down Dominic Moore. Alain Vigneault likes to roll four lines. There’s no way he can do it confidently with the current roster.

The positive is the Rangers kept pace with the Penguins and Islanders going back in front of the Capitals. They’ll next meet the Coyotes in the desert Saturday. Talbot played well too. So, that bodes well.

NY Puck 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Dan Boyle, NYR (8th of season, +4 in 14:57-much better last 2)

2nd Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (game-winner-12th, +2 in 15:48)

1st Star-Kevin Hayes, NYR (9th, 2 assists for career high 3 points, +4 in 13:02)