Turns out, New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is extremely good at hockey. Even with a down year, the sixth-year goalie secured his 3rd shutout of the season. He’s one away from his last season’s total of four. With a .912 save percentage on the season, he’s continually proving how valuable he is to the franchise.
After all, the Rangers and Shesterkin agreed on a monster $92 million contract this past offseason. The 23-20-4 doesn’t do justice to Shesterkin’s impact. Following his shutout, he explained via NHL.com about where the team is on the defensive side of the ice.
“We had a great game tonight,” Shesterkin said. “Defensively, I think one of the best games of the season, and offensively too. (We) boxed out really well and (we) didn’t let them do anything in the neutral zone. They just rimmed the puck. We were first everywhere.”
There were some early struggles in the season. Despite that, winger Mika Zibanejad dropped an optimistic take on the Rangers’ struggles. Some of those struggles were on the defensive side of the ice. While the former Vezina winner can hold his own, a constant outnumbered attack doesn’t help him. It forces him to play desperately and make a hero play, which can hurt the team.
Igor Shesterkin sees the Rangers progressing well
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same goes for the Rangers. However, they do have some lofty expectations. Keeping Zibanejad and bringing back Shesterkin meant they were all-in on pursuit of a Stanley Cup Final. Last season, they went to the NHL Conference Finals, where they lost to the Florida Panthers, 4-2.
Despite the loss, the future was bright for New York. However, this season has not flowed as smoothly as it could. For instance, the team has nearly matched its loss total through 47 games. Still, Shesterkin will likely end up in the Vezina conversation once again for his play.
As he mentioned, staying on top of the puck is crucial. It provides more of a balanced attack and allows there to be controlled aggression once they cross the half-court line. Then, guys like Adam Fox can lead the charge defensively and give their goalie some much-needed rest.
While that might not happen all the time, their performance is a good start. The Rangers have one of the best in the business defending the net. However, providing him with adequate protection from the puck will likely be the difference maker. It can help Shesterkin focus on every time there’s a shot, and let his defense dictate the pace of play.
