When it comes to the New York Rangers, there is no doubt that they are one of the league’s hottest teams right now.
As of this writing (Friday, February 17), the team has won six straight games, has earned points in eight-straight games (7-0-1), and dating back to November 30, they have points in 26 of their 31 games (22-5-4). Since New Year’s Day, this team is 13-2-2.
All of this has led to a current record of 32-14-8 for 72 points, which is good for third place in the Metropolitan Division and sixth in the league. They are just three points behind the second-place New Jersey Devils and eight points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes.
Their offense, especially as of late, has been terrific. They are tenth in the league in goals scored, with 182 in 54 games (3.37 goals per game), and they have scored 27 goals in their last five games.
One area where they have struggled during the last stretch is on the defensive side of the puck, especially in front of their All-Star goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Yes, the team is currently fourth in the league in goals allowed with 143 goals against (2.65 goals against per game), but their defensive play over the last week has not been good.
In their last five games, all wins over the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks (two), Seattle Kraken, and the Carolina Hurricanes, they have given up 16 goals. They allowed at least three goals in four of those games and allowed four goals in two of those games.
While Shesterkin is in the middle of another good season (24-8-0-7 with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage, and one shutout), he has not exactly been great over his last several starts. In fact, he has allowed 15 goals in his last five games.
Shesterkin, who we were used to seeing play at an all-world level last season when he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender, has been good to average to even subpar over his last few starts. In his team’s 6-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night, February 15, he allowed a few soft goals as one of them was considered clear-sighted, another was off a bad rebound, and another was when his stick got caught in Jacob Trouba’s skate.
Shesterkin is going to need to tighten things up and get back to being the goaltender that both he and his teammates know he can be. Luckily, his team is scoring enough to overcome his struggles between the pipes.
The defense in front of Shesterkin also needs to improve their play. They are leaving opponents open in front of the net, not doing a good enough job of clearing rebounds in front of him, and maybe taking too many risks because they know that they can contribute offensively and they know that Shesterkin will come up with the big save should they make a mistake.
Last year, Shesterkin bailed his team out in what seemed like every single game. He was the main reason why the Rangers were so good last season and why they came within two wins of going to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2014.
It is time for Shesterkin’s teammates to return the favor and start playing better in front of him as he looks to get his game back in shape.
