Igor Shesterkin's heroics help Rangers pull off win, snap Nathan MacKinnon streak
The Rangers needed a stellar overtime performance from Shesterkin just to get the game to a shootout. The New York Rangers defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in a shootout, marking the end of Nathan MacKinnon's seven-game streak. The victory was largely attributed to goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin, who performed well in the game. Since the Rangers traded Alexandar Georgiev to the Avalanche in summer 2022, the two teams have met in close games, with all four of their games going to overtime. Sheerkin's performance in the shootout was instrumental in the win, with Artemi Panarin leading off with a goal. The game was tight throughout, with both goalies making crucial saves during and after overtime.
Опубликовано : 4 недели назад от Peter Baugh в Sports
DENVER — The New York Rangers had a new addition to their postgame playlist. As they celebrated a shootout win against the Colorado Avalanche, “All the Small Things” blasted from the dressing room.
The Blink-182 hit carries particular significance in Colorado, where it became a theme song for the 2022 Stanley Cup-winning team, playing in Ball Arena whenever the home team was trying to hold onto a lead in the third period. But Thursday, New York was able to bump it victoriously, in large part because of all the big things Igor Shesterkin did in net.
“Tonight there were spurts where they were taking it to us, but thankfully we have the best goalie in the league to help us with that,” defenseman Braden Schneider said after the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win.
Since summer 2022, when the Rangers traded Shesterkin’s former backup Alexandar Georgiev to the Avalanche, something about the two teams has bred close games. All four of their showdowns since the trade have gone to overtime, including Jonathan Quick’s win against Georgiev in February.
Overtime wasn’t enough for the clubs when Shesterkin and Georgiev have been in net, though. All three of their matchups have required shootouts. Georgiev had the upper hand in the first one last season at Madison Square Garden. Shesterkin won shootout Round 2 later that season, then took Thursday’s rubber match.
“It’s really fun to play against them because they have a really good team, really good goalie,” Shesterkin said postgame when asked if facing Georgiev gives him extra motivation.
The Rangers needed a stellar overtime performance from Shesterkin just to get the game to a shootout. He made difficult saves on Finnish standouts Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen in quick succession, then stopped defensemen Cale Makar and Devon Toews. Georgiev didn’t have to do as much during overtime, but he did make a save on Alexis Lafrenière at the buzzer.
After scoring the shootout winner Saturday against Florida, Artemi Panarin led off for the Rangers in Thursday’s shootout and beat Georgiev. That proved to be all Shesterkin needed. He stopped Casey Mittelstadt to start, then saved a Rantanen high-glove attempt. The goalie remembered Rantanen beating him in that spot during the 2022 shootout in Madison Square Garden, so he was prepared.
“Good players score on me a lot, and I try to learn and don’t forget,” Shesterkin said. “I don’t like giving up two times in a row the same (type of goal).”
Vincent Trocheck clinched the win with a goal, deking Georgiev and then scoring glove side.
“We’ve gone into a shootout every time I play these guys,” Trocheck joked after the game.
The game was tight throughout, and both goalies were sharp. Georgiev stopped shots from Trocheck and Lafrenière during an early Rangers power play, and Shesterkin made an impressive first-period save on Andrew Cogliano in front of the net. The Rangers goalie also showed off his puck-playing ability, wiring a pass to Panarin in the second period. That set up a breakaway for the Russian winger, but Georgiev used his blocker to make the save.
“Geor-gie! Geor-gie!” chants broke out in Ball Arena, which featured a strong, at times noisy contingent of Rangers fans as well.
Two of the Avalanche’s trade-deadline additions broke through the scoreless malaise late in the second period. Brandon Duhaime managed to hold off K’Andre Miller as he skated in the offensive zone and passed to Mittelstadt, who drove to the net and beat Shesterkin blocker side.
“We didn’t get coverage over there quick enough,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.
But Laviolette liked how his team battled back in the third, and it started early in the period with Kaapo Kakko. The Finnish wing skated behind the net, then passed to linemate Jonny Brodzinski. Brodzinski couldn’t get a clean shot on net, but the loose puck bounced off Josh Manson and right to Kakko, who batted it off Georgiev and in.
The goal was a highlight on a strong night for the Rangers’ third line (Brodzinski-Alex Wennberg-Kakko). The Rangers had 60 percent of the expected goals with them on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick, which was best for any line that played more than two minutes.
Midway through the period, Panarin drew a holding penalty on Zach Parise, who grabbed the star wing trying to prevent a dangerous chance in the Rangers offensive zone. Laviolette, wanting his best players fresh, called a timeout.
“There’s half a period left. that’s the time to win the hockey game,” he said. “You’re going on a power play, you might not get another one.”
The decision worked. Panarin put a puck on net, and it deflected off Trocheck and went to Chris Kreider. He swept it into the net for his 299th career goal.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar challenged the goal, saying the play should’ve been stopped for a hand pass on Trocheck. The NHL situation room deemed that it hit “the cuff of Vincent Trocheck’s glove,” meaning it wasn’t a hand pass. The goal counted, and the referees assessed Colorado a bench minor for the lost challenge.
The Avalanche managed to kill off the penalty, then got to work.
“That’s when they really started to press,” Laviolette said.
And Nathan MacKinnon’s line, which had caused problems for the Rangers all night, finally broke through. With 7:16 left, MacKinnon passed to Toews, who fired a slap shot on net. Shesterkin made the initial save, but as Mikko Rantanen fought for the puck, Ryan Lindgren knocked it under his goaltender’s pad and into the net.
Notably, the league ruled the play an own goal on Lindgren. That meant Toews — the last Avalanche player to touch the puck — got credit for the tally, but MacKinnon was not given an assist. Entering the Rangers game, the Avalanche center had a 35-game home point streak, the second longest in history, behind Wayne Gretzky (40 games). That snapped when the game went to a shootout.
“Well, it’s not easy,” Laviolette said when asked about defending MacKinnon. “He comes at you with so much speed and so much talent behind the speed. … For the player he is, I thought our guys did a pretty good job.”
Added Schneider: “When you see him doing that high step through the neutral zone you have to respect it because you know he can go and tight turn on a dime. It’s just trying to take away the middle and make sure he’s not in dangerous ice.”
Though held off the scoresheet, MacKinnon still had a good night. Playing mostly against the Will Cuylle–Barclay Goodrow–Jimmy Vesey line, he collected a game-high five shots, and the Avalanche had 75 percent of the five-on-five expected goals with him on the ice, as well as 33 shot attempts, per Natural Stat Trick. (The league could still review the Toews goal and award an assist to MacKinnon if it deems Lindgren never had possession.)
Though the Rangers skaters managed to contain MacKinnon for stretches defensively, Shesterkin’s brilliance was the main reason his streak didn’t continue. The goalie made 39 saves in the game.
“They have awesome players,” said Shesterkin, who signed autographs for fans on the way to the team bus. “It’s very fun to play against them. We need to make less mistakes, but when two good teams play, usually it’s a very close game.”
That’s certainly been the case with the Rangers and Avalanche.
“We’ve been playing top teams and fighting hard for those points,” Laviolette said. “Tonight was really great to get the result in Colorado.”
Темы: Baseball, Hockey, MLB, NHL, Texas Rangers, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche