The team is big on hugs, and they gave out two at the Garden on Friday, and it may have been their most meaningful hug (or group of hugs, really, hugs) of the season.
At center ice, the Blueshirts embraced Barclay Goodrow, who was the hero of the night when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky from 30 feet with 14 minutes and 1 second left in overtime. Goodrow won Game 2 against the Panthers, 2-1, to tie the conference finals at 1-1 ahead of the next two games in Florida.
A belated embrace followed behind the goal from Igor Shesterkin, about 100 feet from the original goal celebration. The goaltender didn’t get into any celebratory mood until the referee called the goal a success after checking with Toronto’s situation room.
“I was very happy, but the referee [it counts]”Sometimes, you have to make a good goal gesture,” Shesterkin said, making a “good goal” gesture with his right hand. [a goal is disallowed] That’s why I wanted to wait.”
The Rangers played much better in this one after a brutal 3-0 loss in Game 1 on Wednesday, and the credit for that should go solely to Matt Rempe, who recorded nine hits in 10 minutes and six seconds of ice time, including five substitutions in the third period and one in overtime.
No, not really. The Blueshirts were on edge from the start, attacking, on the forecheck. No. 73 can be contagious at times. Or maybe they weren’t. Maybe the Rangers were just being Rangers and responding the way they have from day one.
On Wednesday, the Rangers had 27 hits in a relatively tame game. On Friday, the Rangers had 46 hits after regulation time, then finished with a more intense game with 51 to the Panthers’ 42. The hits are only going to get more as the series continues.
“Physicality is going to be a big factor in this series, especially against Florida,” said forward Jacob Trouba, who made a great breakout pass to Goodrow under heavy forecheck pressure from Ryan Lomberg to spark the game-winning rush. “That’s what makes our game good.”
“I think we’re a better team when we skate and get the puck to the net.”
Rempe was a breath of fresh air, as he always has been. Jimmy Vesey went down with an upper-body injury in the second period, and Rempe played in overtime when Peter Laviolette refused to cut the team to 10 forwards. Every one of Rempe’s substitutions created a lot of noise in the arena, so there was no reason to bench him.
“The fans have been amazing,” Rempe said. “I didn’t want to let anybody down.”
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The Rangers took a 1-0 lead with 4:12 to go when Vincent Trocheck scored on an Adam Fox pass to the front of the goal, but they couldn’t extend the lead. They failed to score on four power plays. The Panthers tied the lead at 18:09 in the second period when Carter Verhaeghe made a stutter-step move to beat Shesterkin from the slot.
The Panthers never beat Shesterkin again, even through much of the third period and overtime, when Paddy Tutts held the Blueshirts deep in their own half with a turnover. Shesterkin was never under siege, and while the shots were 27-for-30 for New York, he always seemed to have movement in front of his goal as the Panthers sent pucks and bodies toward the net.
“I think every game is a little bit stressful and you have to be ready for anything,” the goalkeeper said. “Sometimes there’s a lot of shots, sometimes there’s not so many, so you just have to stay focused and play.”
This is Shesterkin’s third playoff appearance with the Blueshirts, not including the bubble series against Carolina in 2020, where Shesterkin started the third and final game of Carolina’s sweep after Henrik Lundqvist started the first two games. Shesterkin has now started 40 consecutive postseason games.
“He’s calm, doesn’t talk much, doesn’t say anything really,” Trouba said when asked about Shesterkin’s demeanor in the room. “Quicky’s kind of chatting in the corner, and Igor’s just in his zone and doing what he’s got to do.”
I did my part by stopping the puck and I did my part by giving my team confidence.
“We trust each other,” Shesterkin said. “We all trust each other. We’re all on the same page.”
This is a heavyweight battle, the best against the best for the Stanley Cup. It’s not a pretty fight. It’s a hard punch. Barkley Goodrow. Matt Rempe. Igor Shesterkin.
The Rangers are seven wins away from a win at the Canyon of Heroes.
