If this season turns out differently for the Rangers—if, come mid-April, they’re on the favorable side of the playoff line—then Thursday will be remembered as a pivotal moment. Just before the final whistle, when nearly half the bench rushed onto the ice to celebrate Igor Shesterkin’s empty-net goal, it’ll be hard to forget that excitement.
In their 5-1 victory over the Lightning, a team that’s been something of a benchmark in the Eastern Conference for the past eight years, the Rangers showcased a promising blueprint for this season. They shook off the ghosts of last season’s struggles at home. The new players, whether they were highly anticipated or more under the radar, made their mark. Every line created scoring opportunities, and all three defensive pairs kept the Lightning’s chances in check. Shesterkin was, well, Shesterkin—he even scored the first goalie goal in franchise history.
With goals from Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Dorofeyev, Eeli Tolvanen, Gabe Perreault, and Shesterkin, the Rangers (1-1-0) grabbed their first win of the season, turning a page on last year’s home performance, at least for one lively night.
The energy in the arena was infectious. Fans had been imploring Shesterkin to take a shot at the empty net earlier in the third period, and when the puck ultimately bounced off the boards, he seized the moment. His teammates surrounded him in jubilation.
Last season, it took until their fifth home game to register the fifth goal. They went without a goal for a staggering 180:57 to kick off their year, which, looking back, foreshadowed the struggles ahead—just 14 victories at Madison Square Garden. However, during training camp, both veterans and coach Mike Sullivan maintained an optimistic view of their prospects.
Sullivan referred to them as a “forward-thinking group.” J.T. Miller felt it was a “fresh slate” due to the new roster dynamics and a promising atmosphere. After a lackluster season opener, the Rangers began to live up to such expectations. Dorofeyev, who joined after an impressive two years scoring 72 goals, played a vital role in their first two goals. His shot hit the crossbar during a power play, where Zibanejad grabbed the rebound, netting the team’s first goal of the season.
Minutes later, Dorofeyev scored his first goal for the franchise on a rush initiated by Oliver Bjorkstrand, who managed to steal the puck from the Lightning. Their quick exchanges hinted at a revitalized Rangers team, even if it was against a Tampa Bay squad starting its season.
A third goal came early in the second when Tolvanen’s shot deflected off a Lightning defenseman into the net as Will Cuylle barreled into Vasilevskiy.
When Tampa Bay finally got on the scoreboard courtesy of a Nikita Kucherov pass that deflected in, the Rangers didn’t falter. Rookie Albert Smits kept the play going, leading to Perreault’s goal from an Adam Fox shot, again showing resilience.
Unlike last season, when they might have crumbled under similar circumstances, the Rangers held their ground. Even after needing to fend off six power plays, they remained strong. Fans could be heard chanting “Igor’s better” as they killed off a delay of game penalty in the third period.
The fans, who often booed last year, rose to give the team a standing ovation as the second period ended. They urged Shesterkin to take a shot into the empty net rather than express frustration at the team’s past missteps.
After a significant off-season overhaul, including trades and new additions, it certainly felt like, for that night at least, the Rangers were finally starting to move in a positive direction.
