Shesterkin stars in a wild 2-1 shootout win over Boston

Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) scores the game winning goal past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) during shoots outs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) scores the game winning goal past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) during shoots outs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
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Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller (79) scores the game winning goal past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) during shoots outs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller (79) scores the game winning goal past Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) during shoots outs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports /

There’s only one word to describe the end of this game. It was insane.  In the most unlikely of events, New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin had to leave the game with 41 seconds left in overtime to undergo concussion protocol, but returned in time to win in a nine-round shootout.  It transformed a 1-1 defensive battle into one of the most memorable wins of the season.

With only one power play per team this was five on five contest, not the Rangers’ biggest strength, but they hung in after allowing a first period goal.  They finally got the tying goal in the third period and after the overtime shenanigans, won that marathon skills contest.

Shesterkin was stellar in net, but some of the other heroes were unlikely as Filip Chytil netted the tying goal and K’Andre Miller scored the winning goal in the shootout.

The concussion protocol situation was pretty crazy.  At 2:48 of overtime, Craig Smith ran Shesterkin on a shot attempt, bowling over the goalie.  A fracas ensued and Shesterkin looked shaken up, but was fine to continue. He played another 1:31, making a glove save on a Taylor Hall shot when the trainer Jim Ramsay came out and told him he had to be checked out.  Alexandar  Georgiev had to come in cold for the final 41 seconds of OT and a possible shootout.  Shesterkin was upset and slammed his stick into the glass on the way off the ice.

With the faceoff on the Boston zone, the Rangers were able to control play and Georgiev didn’t have to face a shot.  With seven seconds left the Blueshirts called  a timeout, an obvious stalling tactic before the shootout (though Gallant denied that).

With the shootout about to start, Shesterkin returned to the ice to a thrilled crowd and went on to stop seven of nine shot attempts.

This game could be a foreshadow of what the Rangers will face in the playoffs.  If so, this has to be chalked up as a positive as it was the third line that came though along with the goaltender.  The top players chipped in with Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin scoring in the shootout.

This game is going to make Chris Drury’s job harder as  he tries to figure out what moves to make on the trade market.  If Chytil can use this game as a springboard to a good stretch, it will either enhance his trade value or make him difficult to surrender.

Even more important was the play of the rookie defense tandem of Zac Jones and Braden Schneider.  They looked totally comfortable playing together got a lot of ice time in important situations.  It was a breakout pass from Jones to Schneider that set up the third period tying goal.

Gallant was asked to assess their game,  “Good, they were solid, they moved the puck, I was happy with them.”

With heavy rumors circulating about the Rangers looking for a third pair defenseman, if Zones and Schneider keeps this up, Drury won’t have to sacrifice important assets in a trade.

These Rangers keep finding ways to win and this was another game against a playoff team that they didn’t lose.  They solidified their hold on third place in the Metropolitan Division and drew within one point of the Hurricanes.  The magical season keeps going.

Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) and Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (48) battle for the puck behind the net during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) and Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (48) battle for the puck behind the net during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports /

About the game

The Rangers looked pretty awful in the first period.  They couldn’t get shots on the Boston net and Barclay Goodrow made an uncharacteristic awful pass in center ice that led to the Bruins goal, just 3:39 into the game.  The team acknowledged that they weren’t very good in their first period back from a two week layoff.

Coach Gerard  Gallant said as much.  “There was some rust in the first period, again, it wasn’t that bad, they had two scoring chances, we had one. It wasn’t brutal, but it wasn’t what we wanted…in the first we  had some bad turnovers, but after that we were much better.”

It’s true.  The Rangers were outshot 8-2 in the first period, but they had eight shot attempts to 12 for the Bruins.  Boston was adept at blocking shots and keeping the puck away from Jeremy Swayman, their goalie.

The Boston goal was scored by Charlie Coyle who got to the rebound of a shot by Craig Smith after Goodrow tried to make a bump pass to a streaking Ryan Lindgren, but it was intercepted by Coyle and the Bruins had a two-on-one  break.

The second period was much better for the Blueshirts as they outshot the Bruins 15-9 and had several sustained shifts in the attack zone.  The best work was done by the third and fourth lines and both lines threw hits with abandon.  Still, neither team was able to score and the third period began with the Rangers trailing 1-0.  Swayman was doing his best to stop the Blueshirts and made some fine saves. With one shutout in two starts against New York, it looked like he was headed for another one.

Again, the Rangers had the better of the play and it finally paid off when Zac Jones fed Braden Schneider who passed to Dryden Hunt who gave the puck to Filip Chytil in a play at the blue line that was incredibly close to being offside.  Chytil went to the net and Swayman made the initial save, but Chytil stuck with the play and got to the rebound and tucked it past the Boston goalie.

With just over 11 minutes left in the period, Shesterkin stopped Taylor Hall on a breakaway.

There was a bit of an adventure when K’Andre Miller took a tripping penalty at 11:48, but the Rangers penalty kill was outstanding with as many offensive opportunities as Boston.

The Rangers had their chance when Charlie McAvoy went off on a tripping call, but the first unit couldn’t get anything going.

That left the game to go to overtime and the Rangers outshot the Bruins 6-3 with Artemi Panarin stopped on a breakaway.  Then, with 41 seconds left there was the concussion protocol insanity.

In the shootout, Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin scored on the Rangers’ first two attempts.

Jake DeBrusk scored on the Bruins first attempt then Charlie Coyle tied the shootout on their third try.   From that point on it was the goalie’s show as Alexis Lafreniere, Adam Fox, Ryan Strome,  Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil and Dryden Hunt were all stopped.  On the Rangers’ ninth attempt, Gallant sent out defenseman K’Andre Miller and he slipped a backhand by Swayman for the win.

Here’s a full video recap of the game.

The Rangers won another game that needed to win and they did in dramatic fashion.  They were able to overcome the bye week blues to beat a very determined Boston squad.  It was impressive.

Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers trainer talks to New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) after hitting his head on the ice during overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers trainer talks to New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) after hitting his head on the ice during overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports /

Notes on the game

With the win, the Rangers improved their record to 31-13-4.  Their 66 points put them in third place in the Met Division, one point behind Carolina who has two games in hand.

The Rangers home record is now 16-4-2.  In the Eastern Conference, only Florida has fewer losses than  the Rangers, with three.  They are third in  home wins in the East as well.

The win improved their record against Atlantic Division teams to 13-2.  Gaining 26 of 30 possible points, their only two losses were to Toronto and Florida.

The nine round shootout was the fourth longest in franchise history and the longest for the Rangers since an 11-round loss to Tampa in December 2010.  The longest was an NHL record setting 15 round shootout against Washington in November 2005.  The Caps and Florida set the current record of 20 rounds in December 2014.

It was the longest shootout win since a 13-round win over Philadelphia in October 2006.

It was Igor Shesterkin’s third shootout win this season.  He is tied for the league lead in that category. He has stopped 14 of 18 shots this season.  His 14 shootout saves are the most of any NHL goalie.

Shesterkin has now won 23 games, fifth most in the NHL.  His .938 save percentage leads the league and his goals against average of 2.05 is one one-hundredth of a point behind Frederik Andersen of the Hurricanes.

The Rangers have played 43 games on February 15 and this was the first time that they have won in a shootout or overtime.

Adam Fox returned to the lineup and led all Rangers in TOI, playing 24:24. He had four shots on goal, most of any defenseman.  He didn’t miss a beat and almost scored on a neat move in the third period.<

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The Rangers outhit the Bruins 36-25 and Ryan Reaves led all Blueshirts with eight hits.

This was only the fourth time the Rangers had only one power play in a game. It was the seventh time that they allowed only one power play in a game this campaign.

The Rangers have gone into the third period of a game trailing 14 times this season and this was their third win.  It was the fifth time this season that they have overcome a third period deficit to win.

  • The evening up of penalties is a bit ridiculous. In the third period, Jacob Trouba threw a big hit into Tomas Nosek who retaliated with a  cross check.  Trouba pushed back at him and Nosek threw some punches.  The penalties?  Cross checking for Nosek and roughing for Trouba.   In the overtime Craig Smith was called for goalie interference when he ran Shesterkin.  Lafrenière jumped him and there was a fracas. The penalties? Interference for Smith and roughing for Lafrenière. In both cases, the Bruins players should have gotten roughing penalties for their actions after the initial infractions.
  • Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) makes a save on Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) during overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
    Feb 15, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) makes a save on Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) during overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports /

    My 3 Rangers stars

    Igor Shesterkin

    would have gotten the first star for his work in regulation and overtime.  The seven straight stops in the shootout only sealed the deal.  He was spectacular when he needed to be including a brilliant stop on David Pastrnak in overtime.<

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  • K’Andre Miller had an excellent game on defense, probably one of his best games of the season.  To score the winning shootout goal only made it sweeter.  He’s using his body more and that can only be seen as a positive.
  • Filip Chytil scored the only Rangers goal and it was a second effort that made it possible.  He pursued to puck to the net after taking the shot and was able to get the rebound past Jeremy Swayman. He showed some really nice hands on the play and the hope has to be that it will give in that all-important boost in confidence.
  • The official 3 stars

    1. Igor Shesterkin – Rangers
    2. K’Andre Miller – Rangers
    3. Jeremy Swayman – Bruins

    What’s next

    The Detroit Red Wings come to town on Thursday in the make-up of a game postponed in December.  While the Wings are playing well and are within shouting distance of Boston, they are still 16 points behind the Rangers and at NHL .500.

    After Detroit, it’s a quick trip to Ottawa on Sunday afternoon, a 5pm start.

    More. First trade shoe drops, what it means for the Rangers. light

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