The New York Rangers remain undefeated against Boston this season following last night’s close overtime win against the Bruins. The Blueshirts were heavily outmatched for the majority of the matchup, but the heroics of one key player were enough to keep them in the game.
Igor Shesterkin has been struggling as of late. Many knew his problems came from a lack of poor defensive play in front of him, but many also felt that the star goaltender had lost his touch. But last night, Shesterkin proved that he’s back and better than ever.
Shesterkin kept the Rangers in the game to secure the victory
Last night, the Blueshirts fell down by a goal early on in the second period. The score would then remain the same for the majority of the game, with the tie-game goal from Vincent Trocheck not coming until over halfway through the third.
Before Trocheck managed to even the score, the Bruins were given many chances to build upon their lead. The Rangers’ defense appeared to fall apart once again, as a dirty hit on Ryan Lindgren from David Pastrnak did not help shift the momentum.
Across the game, Shesterkin managed to make 21 saves on 22 shots. This helped him earn a .955 SV% with just one goal against in what is easily his best performance of the season. Had he not been this close to perfect, the Bruins would have made light work of the Blueshirts and ran away with the lead before Trocheck had the chance to cash in on the power play.
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An overreaction from the fans
It’s clear that fans might’ve jumped the gun quite a bit in declaring that Shesterkin was washed up. Yes, he did go through a bit of a rough stretch to start the year, but it was clear that it was a whole team struggle rather than just the goalie.
It was only one solid performance against Boston, but it was perhaps the biggest game of the year so far. The Rangers needed a comeback from Shesterkin, and he provided. He stepped up to the plate and proved that he still has the potential to be one of the best netminders in the NHL.
