WASHINGTON — The difference in talent between the Presidents Trophy-winning Rangers and the 17th-ranked Caps is stark, and Washington coach Spencer Carberry admits it.
But Friday night, and this game, was Game 3 of the first round, where the Blueshirts needed Igor Shesterkin to make a difference. And he said, oh my goodness, just like Henrik Lundqvist did so often early last year when the Rangers and Caps met four times in five postseason games.
The Rangers scored one point on 5-on-5 play, one on the power play, and one on the penalty kill, winning 3-1 and taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Perhaps it was because the club was on parade to the box, giving the home team a six-man advantage, but the Blueshirts were forced on the back foot for most of the night.
They defended well and competed well, but even in the rare moments when the game was fully contested, they didn’t have much of the puck for most of the game. In fact, the Rangers had three shots on net in a span of 30 minutes and 45 seconds, from 4:47 of the second period to 15:32 of the third period, increasing their lead from 2-1 to the final score.
“We know what kind of goalie he is,” said Mika Zibanejad, who had two assists. “But just being able to see him play tonight was huge for us, especially in those moments where they rebounded.”
Putinista Alex Ovechkin, who looked like an old man wearing a “C” for three games in a row, had a great chance from the left circle on a power play with 35 seconds left in the first period. He was No. 8’s biggest chance of the series. Shesterkin rushed from left to right, but this was rebuffed.
“I just stood in front of the puck and tried to stop the puck,” Shesterkin said. “He took a really good shot and it hit me in the hand.”
The netminder made two spectacular saves against Max Pacioretty, who was alone up front, the second midway through the second period being even more spectacular than the first. “I was lucky,” Shesterkin said.
Near the end of the second inning, Maxime Lapierre had another one on target, a right pad flash to Tom Wilson early in the third, and a close-range stop on Dylan Strome in the third.
Oddly enough, the goalkeeper got lucky again and again.
Rangers weren’t under siege, but the goalkeeper had six chances for 10 bells and had to take them. He fought extremely well on a night when he took 28 shots overall and was eight over 12 when his team was shorthanded.
“There wasn’t a lot of volume, there weren’t a lot of chances, but there were some big chances and chances to cross the crease and they happened really quickly. He had to be really sharp. ” he said. Head coach Peter Laviolette. “He had to be really sharp.
“You could tell he was on point and he saw everything that was going on. There wasn’t any volume, but there were some big ones.”
The Rangers dominated for 180 minutes of the series, but were unable to completely overcome it despite leading 3-0. But the same goes for the Hurricanes, who have a 3-0 lead over the Islanders, and the Panthers, who have a 3-0 lead against the Lightning. The lower seeds may not have the talent, but they have pride and are doing their best. Without their goaltender, the Caps’ push probably would have been successful in this game.
This was Shesterkin’s 31st postseason start. It was the 18th time he gave up two or fewer runs, and the second time in the series he gave up just one run. His save percentage was .949 or better in 12 of his starts and .923 or better in 21 of his playoff appearances.
There is an impressive power play. We have an elite penalty kill. There is a mature way of thinking. But there is also Shesterkin, always Shesterkin.
Remember the goaltending controversy in January?
