Steve Valiquette wasn't thrilled with Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin's disrespectful first-period breakaway during the Blueshirts' 5-1 loss to the Devils.
New Jersey star Jack Hughes tried to use a one-handed breakaway move on Shesterkin, but the Rangers starter deflected it with his left blocker, and Valiquet said the move was an attempt to show the goalie. I felt that.
“Hughes slowed down there and moved with one hand to try to embarrass Shesterkin, so I don't like that,” Vackett said.
The former Rangers turned NHL analyst later called the endeavor “more Instagram hockey than intense hockey.”
Another problem for Valiquette appears to have been a lack of response from the Rangers, who have dropped six of their last seven games following Monday's loss.
Valiquette, who played five seasons with the Rangers and one year with the Islanders on Long Island, wondered about the reaction from the rest of the Blueshirts.
“That should shock everyone on the bench. In my day, Colton Orr would have been hanging on the bench, hitting the sticks, saying, 'You tried to embarrass us, we're coming after you.' I know it kept going,” the analyst explained. “And that was blatant disrespect, and in a way I’m surprised there wasn’t that kind of reaction from the team.”
He later added: “I think Rangers should be angry about that.”
Hughes was asked about Valiquette's comments after the game, but the Devils star responded calmly.
“I don’t even know what that means. What does that mean? Hughes answered.
Shesterkin snuck five goals for the Devils, including two in the second period.
Hughes sank a rebound from the field with 7:22 left in the frame, beating Shesterkin for his first goal of the night.
His second goal of the period came with just over a minute left, with a high wrist shot that easily beat the Rangers' netminder.
