Why Igor Shesterkin’s tunnel outburst was justified — and what it means for the Rangers

The New York Rangers were not able to keep up with the Anaheim Ducks, losing 4-1, in an emotional night at Madison Square Garden. Former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba were celebrated, and ultimately got the upperhand in this game.

Prior to the game, head coach Mike Sullivan dropped a bombshell announcement by benching star forward Mika Zibanejad for being late to a team meeting earlier in the day. The decision would have a lasting effect on the game, as the Rangers had struggled on offense to beat Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal.

Following the contest, all of the frustration from the lackluster performance from the Rangers boiled over with goaltender Igor Shesterkin. As he was heading down the tunnel toward the locker room after the final buzzer, he exploded into a fit of rage.

Shesterkin's rage was completely justifiable

Shesterkin was among the rest of the Blueshirts who did not play at their best against the Ducks. Give the opposing team credit, they were the better team, but there should have been a much better showing from the Rangers following the monumental comeback win against Montreal, 5-4, this past Saturday.

In the contest, Shesterkin allowed three goals on 25 shots, with each goal coming on a different strength. He allowed a power-play goal, a short-handed goal, and then one at even strength. Now at 13-11-3 on the season, with a save percentage of .908 and a goals against average of 2.55, he is sitting right around his career-average. But, lack of offense has put him into a near .500 record, and that record does not properly portray how well he has been playing this season. In terms of goals saved above average, Shesterkin ranks 12th in the league with 7.45. He's also ninth with GSAx (goals saved above expected) of 13.41. That speaks to how often he's been tested, and how more often than not, he's risen to meet the challenge.

Games like last night are definitely frustrating, as it was a 2-1 game that unraveled in the end stages of the game when the Rangers couldn't get the goal they needed.

Hopefully Mika situation is put to bed

After last season's locker-room breakdown, the hope is that this Zibanejad benching gets put to bed and does not become more than what it is. Sullivan is a different style of coach than Peter Laviolette was for the Blueshirts, and with J.T. Miller commanding the locker room, it should get settled quickly and quietly.

Zibanejad was a missing figure in this game, and the Rangers definitely could have used him. It makes sense to hold players accountable throughout the season, but after dropping four of the last five games and the Metropolitan Division starting to break up, this team really needed that win. No. 93 might have been the difference maker.