(My Sportsbook) - A recent head coaching change was designed to shake the New York Rangers out of a lengthy funk, but so far the switch hasn't produced improving results.

The badly-slumping Blueshirts will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak and win for the first time under John Tortorella's watch when the Colorado Avalanche enter Madison Square Garden tonight.

The Rangers replaced Tom Renney with the fiery Tortorella, who guided Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2003-04, on Monday, one day after a home overtime defeat to Toronto. New York has since lost twice more under Tortorella, dropping a 2-1 shootout decision to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday and falling to Florida in regulation by the same score one night later.

New York has now lost 12 of its last 14 games (2-8-4) and struggled mightily on offense during that poor stretch. The Rangers have scored two goals or fewer in each of those 12 defeats.

It was more of the same on Thursday. The Rangers recorded 41 shots against the Panthers, but the team's only goal came on Markus Naslund's tally 7:34 into the first period.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 20-of-22 Florida shots on the evening, but allowed two goals within a one-minute span in the third period that sent New York to its latest setback.

Despite their tailspin, the Rangers remain squarely in the hunt for a playoff spot. New York is tied with Florida for sixth place in the Eastern Conference and trails Montreal by only three points for the No. 5 seed.

The Rangers hope to get back on track against a Colorado squad that has the fewest points in the Western Conference and has had trouble winning on the road this season, bringing a poor 11-19-1 record as the visitor into tonight's matchup.

After opening a current six-game trek with a big victory at Washington on February 20, the Avalanche have been handed losses to Carolina, Atlanta and New Jersey. In its most recent time out, Colorado was blanked by Martin Brodeur in the legendary goaltender's return to the ice in nearly four months.

Brodeur turned back all 24 shots he faced in New Jersey's 4-0 triumph over the Avs on Thursday, the future Hall of Famer's 99th career shutout.

Andrew Raycroft finished with 28 saves in the loss, Colorado's eighth in its last 10 road tilts.

The Avalanche have won seven straight times against the Rangers, however, with New York's latest victory in the series coming at the Garden on November 20, 2001. Colorado has won in each of its three subsequent trips to MSG and is 6-1-0 over its last seven visits to the storied arena.