Alexandar Georgiev makes triumphant return to Garden as Rangers fall to Avalanche in shootout

Alexandar Georgiev spent his first five seasons in the NHL with the Rangers, the last two serving as backup to Igor Shesterkin, before he was traded to the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche at last summer’s NHL draft. On Tuesday, Georgiev returned to Madison Square Garden with the Avalanche, to square off with Shesterkin, and the result was a wonderful game.

In the end, Georgiev got his dream return, making 44 saves in regulation and overtime,including one last stop on Alexis Lafrenière on the final shot of the shootout to backstop the Avalanche to a 3-2 victory that extended the Rangers’ winless string to three games (0-1-2).

Sitting in the visitors’ locker room, Georgiev was asked if this was the best win he’s ever had in the NHL.

“No,’’ he said with a laugh.

But when asked where this one ranks among his all-time favorites, he said, “It’s tough to say, but it’s a pretty fun one. It’s in the top, probably, right now.’’

After Mikko Rantanen and Artemi Panarin scored as the third shooter for each team, Evan Rodrigues beat Shesterkin with a forehand-backhand-forehand move to give the Avalanche the lead in the tiebreaker. Lafrenière went to his forehand, but Georgiev got his pads down and made the save to get the win for the Avs (4-2-1).

“It was a good game,’’ Shesterkin said through an interpreter. “One goalie saved a shot, the other one missed a shot. That’s the difference.’’

A mistake by Shesterkin (42 saves in regulation/OT) led to what looked as if it might be the deciding goal 59 seconds into the third period. With the Rangers (3-2-2) on a power play, Shesterkin went into the corner to get a loose puck, but he mishandled it, and Colorado forward Andrew Cogliano stole it from him. Cogliano passed to Logan O’Connor, who fired a shot into the net before Shesterkin could scramble back into position.

“He’s made one mistake in two years,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “It happens. You get by it.’’

But Adam Fox got that goal back for Shesterkin and the Rangers with 5:57 left in regulation. Breaking out on a two-on-one with Vitali Kravtsov, Fox dropped the puck to a trailing Barclay Goodrow, who relayed it to the left to Jimmy Vesey. Vesey sent it back to Fox, who tapped it in behind Georgiev to tie it at 2 and force overtime.

Georgiev and Dryden Hunt, who was claimed off waivers from the Rangers last week, both returned to the Garden as visitors for the first time as Colorado opened a three-game, weeklong tour of the metropolitan area. The Avs play the Devils Friday at Prudential Arena in Newark, and then face the Islanders Saturday at UBS Arena.

“They’re both good, guys,’’ Gallant had said before the game of Georgiev and Hunt. “’Georgie’ had a good year with us last year. He competed hard, and it was really good to know him. And you know, it’s a good start for him. I think he’s the number one goalie over there. I’m not trying to be their coach, but I think that’s where they put him right now. And he’s played really well.’’

Georgiev entered the game with a 3-0-1 record, a 2.76 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage, numbers very similar to Shesterkin, who was also 3-0-1, with a 2.75 GAA and .901 save percentage.

Colorado dominated the first period, piling 20 shots on goal and taking a 1-0 lead on a power play deflection goal by Valeri Nichushkin at 11:40.

But Shesterkin kept the Rangers in it despite heavy pressure from the Avs, and they slowly took control of the second period, when they outshot Colorado 15-7 and tied the score as Goodrow finished a tic-tac-toe play, scoring off a pass from Jacob Trouba at 18:06 of the second period.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.