New York Rangers: Business as usual for Igor Shesterkin

The New York Rangers sent Igor Shesterkin to Hartford to get some work in during the All-Star break.   It was business as usual for the netminder, named the number one star in a 4-1 win.

Igor Shesterkin is the future of the New York Rangers in goal.  After a solid debut, winning two of three games while allowing eight goals, he was sent to Hartford to play in two games while the Rangers were off for the All-Star break and mandatory bye week.

In his first game back with Hartford Friday night, Shesterkin was named the number one star as he backstopped the Wolf Pack to a 4-1 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  The only blemish on his record was a meaningless goal scored with less than five minutes left in the game.

Shesterkin made 31 saves in the game, in front of a season high home crowd of 5,707.  It was “Paws and Pucks” night at the Xcel Center, a very popular promotion.

With the win, Shesterkin is now 16-4-3 on the season with a league leading 1.89 goals against average and .923 save percentage. He is the top goaltender in the American Hockey League  and was selected to play in the AHL All-Star Game, but because he is on the Rangers active roster, he is not eligible to play and was replaced by Vinni Lettieri.

Phil Di Giuseppe celebrated his return to Hartford by scoring the first goal for Hartford. He was brought up to the NHL for four games, but was a healthy scratch in each game.

Matt Beleskey added two goals in the second period and Steven Fogarty added a shorthanded tally in the second period as well.  In the lineup for Hartford were Libor Hajek, Boo Nieves, Tim Gettinger, Shesterkin and Fogarty, all of whom have seen action in New York this season.

One of the highlights of the game was Shesterkin’s stickhandling, something Ranger fans saw in his debut against Colorado.  While on the power play in the second period, Shesterkin lofted a stretch pass from behind the goal line to center ice.  Darren Raddysh got the puck to Boo Nieves who sent the pass to Beleskey who scored.  Shesterkin’s headman pass made the the play happen.

The Wolf Pack play again Saturday night against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Hartford and Shesterkin is definitely getting the second straight start.  Hartford loaned backup goalie Adam Huska to the Maine Mariners of the ECHL so he will get some icetime in while Shesterkin plays and the AHL is on their All-Star break (starting Sunday).

Shesterkin has clearly conquered AHL competition and will be back as part of the three goalie lineup with the Rangers when they get back in action on January 31 versus the Detroit Red Wings.