DENVER — The last time the Rangers were in Colorado to face the Avalanche was on March 11, 2020 — the day the NBA ignited a domino effect as the first sports league to suspend play due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mika Zibanejad remembers that day all too well. From finding out about the NBA just before puck drop, not knowing what was going to happen going forward and waiting for answers. He also recalled the game-tying goal from the since-traded Pavel Buchnevich with seconds left in regulation that forced overtime, before the Rangers fell 3-2 after J.T. Compher’s game-winner.

“It was the last game before the whole break,” Zibanejad said Tuesday prior to the Rangers’ rematch with the Avalanche at Ball Arena. “We were starting to heat up during that part of the season, it was a tight game, tied it up with I don’t know how many seconds left. Unfortunately lost in overtime. Still, [I] remember. Obviously, I think more for the reason because it was our last game the last time we played here.”

At that time, the Rangers weren’t too far removed from their most successful run of the 2019-20 season — in which they went 11-4 in February — and Zibanejad was riding a six-game point streak that featured 11 goals.

While the Rangers aren’t the same team as they were in March 2020, they came into Tuesday’s game with the second most points (39) and the second-highest point percentage (.722) in the NHL. Zibanejad, on the other hand, snapped a 14-game scoring drought this past weekend in the Rangers’ 2-1 win over the Sabres. Similarly, but not as extreme, to his COVID-19 affected start to last season, Zibanejad hasn’t found his scoring touch just yet.

Asked if he could put his finger on the difference between his play the last time he was in Colorado compared to now, Zibanejad answered frankly.

“The puck went in,” he said. “I mean, I’m shooting now. I don’t know, I maybe shot a little more back then, but the pucks went in. That’s all I can really do, try to shoot as much as I can, put myself in a position to score. The confidence matters to that as well, I feel like I scored every game at that point.

“When you’re hot like that, you just keep going, you don’t think about it, you don’t second-guess, you don’t take that extra second to think about what you’re going to do with the puck. It’s just automatic.

“When things are not going for you, I think that’s the thing for every player, you kind of second guess your decision and you’re thinking maybe just half a second in this league, in any league in hockey, the chance is probably gone. Just got to keep working and hopefully some more pucks go in.”

Entering the Rangers’ 28th game of the season Tuesday, Zibanejad had posted five goals and 16 assists. While he hasn’t shown up on the score sheet as much as he would like, Zibanejad ranks second on the team in total shots (71) behind Chris Kreider and has been able to help create offense.

Zibanejad chuckled at the idea of being able to spark his play just by returning to a city he played well in the last time he was there. Working to gain some confidence back, however, seemed to be Zibanejad’s course of action.

“Just trying to bring back that feeling if possible and just play and get back into the win column,” Zibanejad said.