Another excellent performance by the New York Rangers. They are on a nice winning streak, extending it with their latest 3-1 win against the Dallas Stars. Many players stood out for this team, but three of them in particular had stellar performances.
Dishonorable Moment: Refs missed Chris Kreider’s goal
This might be a bit of a nitpick, but it’s worth mentioning that this game should have ended 4-1. The referees overlooked Chris Kreider’s empty-net goal that clearly crossed the line at the end of the third period. It was evident that the puck went in before the clock hit zero, and there is photographic evidence supporting this, showing the puck crossing the line with 0.02 seconds left. While it’s understandable that the referees missed it, Kreider was unjustly denied a goal.
3. Erik Gustafsson showcases his offensive skills
Erik Gustafsson has been in a real slump in February. He has had more bad games than good games and needed to shine like he did earlier in the season. Against the Stars, he shined with his offensive skills as he made a key assist on the Kaapo Kakko goal.
However, his defense was still a mess. While it’s expected because Gustafsson is more of an offensive defenseman, it’s just not getting any better and he is becoming a liability.
2. Adam Fox puts the Rangers in a winning position
Adam Fox is hands down the best defenseman on the Rangers’ roster. While his defense was a little lackluster in this game and he even received a bad holding penalty in the first period, what truly stood out was his contribution on offense. After all, he scored the first goal of the game for the Rangers.
1. Igor Shesterkin is a brick wall
It’s been frustrating to hear so many fans throwing shade at Igor Shesterkin. Some have called him overrated, trash, and so on. Let’s be honest, Jonathan Quick is on fire with his resurgence, but Shesterkin has been playing well this year.
Has he been flawless? Absolutely not. However, games like tonight should put an end to those conversations, as he made some incredible saves, particularly in the third period. Shesterkin remains one of the top goalies in the league, and tonight’s performance showcased exactly why