Igor Shesterkin, with newest shutout, appears like Vezina winner once more

With 33 saves within the Rangers’ 6-0 thrashing of the Penguins on Saturday evening at Madison Sq. Backyard, goalie Igor Shesterkin recorded his second shutout of the season and his first since Nov. 1.

The victory, Shesterkin’s thirty second win of the season and his fifth in a row, additionally was the tenth time he has blanked a staff in his four-year NHL profession.

“It means loads to me, in fact,” Shesterkin mentioned. “I’m so joyful proper now.”

Though his workload appeared to dwindle as the sport went on, Shesterkin was sharp from begin to end.

He made back-to-back saves on the Penguins’ Rickard Rackell and Jake Guentzel within the first interval earlier than he denied Drew O’Connor from the slot on the finish of the second.

Shesterkin solely needed to make eight saves within the remaining 20 minutes, however he didn’t give the Penguins a lot area to work with.

The final handful of video games have been a few of Shesterkin’s greatest performances of the season.

He has completed with a save proportion above .900 in every of the final 4 video games, in addition to in six of the final eight contests.

Stopping 146 of the 155 photographs he has confronted within the final 5 video games, Shesterkin has proven shades of his Vezina Trophy-winning efficiency from final season.

“He’s been in a reasonably good rhythm within the final two weeks or roughly three weeks,” head coach Gerard Gallant mentioned after the win, which improved the Rangers to 40-19-10. “He’s performed rather well. [Jaroslav] Halak goes to go [Sunday night against the Predators], clearly. He’s performed actual nicely, too.

“Goaltending is a giant a part of it taking place the stretch right here. Hold enjoying nicely and preserve making an attempt to win hockey video games.”

After backstopping the Rangers to a 5-3 win over the Capitals earlier this week, Shesterkin grew to become simply the second goaltender to succeed in the 30-win mark this season.

Shesterkin was additionally the primary Rangers goaltender to file consecutive 30-win seasons since Henrik Lundqvist did it 4 seasons in a row from 2013-14 to 2016-17.

Ryan Lindgren (shoulder harm) was sidelined for the tenth straight recreation.

After squaring off with the Predators on Sunday evening, the Rangers could have the time without work on Monday earlier than they return to recreation motion on Tuesday in opposition to the Hurricanes on the Backyard.