There was something vintage about this, about the way Chris Kreider faded toward the high slot after the Rangers won a faceoff midway through the third period Thursday.

The Rangers returned to full strength in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.

Kreider had just helped Boston College to the National Championship and now he was thrust into the NHL's Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It was the Rangers vs. Senators and Ottawa had now pushed the Blueshirts to a game seven. The series had featured outstanding defense and the deciding game was no different.

Rangers forward Chris Kreider is back from an upper-body injury ahead of their matchup against the Avalanche on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the NHL revealed the New York Rangers’ quarter-century team. The first team features many stars from the team’s recent history. Forwards Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad – all on the active roster – are in front of defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan McDonagh and Hall of Fame goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Artemi Panarin scored two goals, Chris Kreider had the go-ahead goal off a defensive deflection with 9:38 to play, and the New York Rangers rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club.

In his second game back from an upper-body injury, Chris Kreider seems to have captured his usual role back with the New York Rangers. When Kreider returned to the lineup after missing four games, Peter Laviolette stuck the veteran forward on the second power play unit,

Chris Kreider has been activated from injured reserve according to the NHL media site as he gears up to return on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche This comes after Kreider missed the past four games with an upper-body injury.

The boxing-out issues continued against Utah. A minute into the game, Utah’s Ian Cole fired a point shot tipped by teammate Barrett Hayton. Igor Shesterkin made the initial stop, but Matias Maccelli got away from K’Andre Miller and buried the rebound.

Artemi Panarin had two goals, including an empty-netter, as the Rangers (4-0-2) extended their point streak to six games.

The New York Rangers are getting one of its leaders back. On Tuesday, the team activated forward Chris Kreider from injured reserve. The 33-year-old was reportedly suffering an upper-body injury.

Kreider scored a goal on four shots in Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Canadiens. Kreider was open at the net front and tapped in an Adam Fox pass late in the second period to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead.