February didn’t faze the Rangers. Because every time Igor Shesterkin made a save, good news arrived right in front of him.
The franchise goaltender had a solid month for the Blueshirts, going 7-0 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage, making them the first team to reach 40 wins and improving overall with Wednesday’s double. It has emerged as the number one share. Three days after the Jackets’ winning streak ended at 10 against Columbus, an empty net led to a 4-1 victory over the Jackets.
Every save was needed for a team that went 11-12-2 for almost a third of the season but went 10-1 after two months in which the Blueshirts failed to break even. .
This game required every save because it was very difficult to determine which club was 1st and which was 29th.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Shesterkin wasn’t under siege, but as the Blueshirts were forced to make intermittent substitutions late in the game as they tried to hold a one-point lead in front of the empty Netters. , he was said to have faced 10 dangerous chances.
The netminder produced Columbus’ only goal at 3:24 of the third period after he had to scramble back to the net after stepping back to move the puck. Shesterkin was also trapped outside the net in an accident in the second period, but was able to stop it.
So when the Russian was asked to assess the state of his game, his answer was spot on.
“We’re very good inside the net, but we’re very bad behind the net,” Shesterkin said. “I need to practice stickhandling.”
The February schedule is now a thing of the past. As much as the trade deadline approaches on March 8th, that’s in the past. General manager Chris Drury will evaluate his personnel over the next two games — Saturday in Toronto and Monday at home against the Panthers. We look at what it takes to make this (so far) highly successful regular season even more meaningful come June.
“It’s definitely an accomplishment, but like I said, we just keep building our game,” Jacob Trouba said of the 40 wins and the club’s standing. “At this point, no trophies will actually be awarded.
“So, that’s great, but who really cares?”
Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek was watching the game while the team was holed up on the West Coast. Verbeek didn’t just walk in from the street to watch a hockey game.
We know the Rangers are interested in the Ducks’ right winger Frank Vatrano and center Adam Henrique. But it’s unclear who exactly Verbeek was scouting, unless it’s Kaapo Kakko, and unless we’re talking about the blockbuster Trevor Zegras is coming to Broadway, it seems to me It makes no sense, but there is no indication that such a deal would ever be considered.
Kakko stepped up to skate with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and Jimmy Vesey flipped with the Finn to skate in a third unit with Johnny Brodzinski and Will Quill. I don’t think this switch makes much sense unless there are additional things to consider along with deadlines. Everything is seen through that prism during this time. Maybe the Rangers are introducing Kakko, but again, that doesn’t make sense to me.
Drury needs to add, not play a zero-sum game. If you ask me, that would be cool for both Vatrano and Enrique – and this is not a rumor or report, just a muse – it would represent as much of an all-in deal as the Rangers could make.
When Kakko is removed from the third line, he and Quill combine to move the net and establish a presence up front, but the unit loses its definition. The Rangers were too top-heavy as it was.
Matt Lempe received a hero’s welcome and played a smart game with a career-high 7 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time. He pounded his body, racking up four hits and hitting a netting drive from the right side in the second period that drew applause from the crowd. The 21-year-old wasn’t asked to fight, and he didn’t either.
Artemi Panarin shined with two goals, one of which went into an empty net. The line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere combined for 10 shots on 19 attempts off the net. There’s a first line that’s producing for the Rangers and that’s it.
With 22 games left, the Rangers are tied for first overall and hold a seven-point lead in the division over Carolina. That’s more than anyone could have reasonably expected. Expectations are high now. Two games left until the deadline.
