The Rangers managed to salvage some pride at Madison Square Garden.
Igor Shesterkin has been working hard all season, though, honestly, it’s been a bit of a struggle. On Tuesday night against the Devils, the star goalie really put himself out there, even dropping the gloves with Jacob Markstrom, while making 22 saves in a 4-1 victory over New Jersey.
This win helped the Rangers avoid a full-on sweep by their tri-state rivals, which is, you know, something to feel good about.
Beyond that, Shesterkin’s fight brought an exhilarating moment to his home ice, something fans have been missing.
The number 31 goalie notched his 23rd win of the season and quipped, “I want to thank my boxing coach.”
Things got heated when Devils forward Paul Cotter knocked into Shesterkin halfway through the third period. That didn’t sit well with any Ranger, particularly the goaltender.
After some scuffling near the Rangers’ net, Markstrom skated over and challenged Shesterkin.
Shesterkin calmly removed his gloves. Markstrom stood there, waiting. And then, as the crowd hit levels not heard in a while, both goaltenders squared off.
If there was a winner, it certainly felt like it could have been Shesterkin.
The last time a Rangers goalie was involved in a fight was back in 1998, with Dan Cloutier against the Islanders.
“I thought, ‘Oh, he’s enormous,'” Shesterkin recalled, thinking about Markstrom’s approach. “I just didn’t want to get knocked out.”
The Rangers have often talked about playing with pride since a slump hit them months back. This win was rooted in pride, not just for the team, but for the fans and the Garden too.
It felt right that Shesterkin would feature prominently in what was possibly the team’s most comfortable home win this season.
No one is more critical to the Rangers’ future than Shesterkin. His first year in that big eight-year, $92 million deal has been quite the contrast. Head coach Mike Sullivan described him as “foundational,” praising his intensity, practice habits, and attitude.
“He really reminds me of [Henrik] Lundqvist back when I saw him here as an assistant. That fierce competition and insane practice habits—that’s Shesty. He embodies a lot of what we want to be,” Sullivan noted.
Tuesday marked the Rangers’ last game against their New Jersey and New York rivals, yet they still ended the season with a disappointing 1-6 record against both teams.
A recent 6-3 loss to the Devils stands out for all the wrong reasons, especially since the team didn’t secure a win against them or the Islanders this season.
This win, though just the 12th home victory, felt important as it helped them avoid a dark mark in the record books.
“We really needed it,” captain JT Miller said after scoring to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead early on. “Little things matter. I think we’ve played well lately, possibly even better since the break. It’s been nice to have four home games in a row. Earlier this year was rough, so these moments feel special.”
L Mika Zibanejad received the Stephen McDonald Special Effort Award for the third time in his career. This accolade, voted on by fans, recognizes players who excel beyond the usual call of duty and is named after the late detective Stephen McDonald, who was tragically shot while on duty in 1986 and passed away in 2017.
Zibanejad is now the fourth Ranger to win this award at least three times, having previously won it in consecutive seasons back in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
