Three takeaways from the Rangers' season-opening win vs. the Penguins
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin makes a save against Pittsburgh's Lars Eller during the third period Wednesday. Credit: AP/Matt Freed
The Rangers couldn’t have had an easier night to open the 2024-25 season than they did Wednesday in Pittsburgh, when they routed the Penguins, 6-0.
Igor Shesterkin, who is in the last year of his contract and who refused three times to talk about his ongoing negotiations, stopped all 29 shots he saw to earn his 16th career shutout. Chris Kreider scored two goals, including one shorthanded, to lead a relentless attack that put 41 shots on net.
Their next game will be Saturday's home opener at Madison Square Garden against the Utah Hockey Club, which won its season opener on Tuesday. But before that, let’s go over our three takeaways from the big opening night win.
1. Igor Shesterkin’s asking price might be going up.
The day before the game, ESPN analyst and former Rangers goaltender Kevin Weekes reported that Shesterkin had rejected an eight-year, $88 million offer from the Rangers that would have made him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. He’s reportedly seeking a deal that pays him an average salary of $12 million per year.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette, asked at Wednesday’s morning skate if he worried whether Shesterkin might be distracted by his contract negotiations, dismissed the thought.
“I think Igor is focused on hockey,’’ Laviolette said.
The Penguins dominated play in the first eight-and-a-half minutes. When Shesterkin charged out of his goal crease to shut down a shot by Jesse Puljujarvi, Pittsburgh, despite being down 1-0, owned a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.
After that save, though, the Rangers recorded the last six shots in the period and scored twice to take a 3-0 lead into intermission. The only intrigue after that was whether Shesterkin would get the shutout, which he did.
2. If Filip Chytil can stay healthy, that third line might be a difference maker.
After missing the last 72 games of last season with what was almost certainly a concussion, all Filip Chytil wants to do this season is to play all 82 games for the first time in his career.
“This is my only goal, to be healthy for whole year. And I knock on the wood,’’ he said, rapping his knuckles on his locker in the visiting locker room Wednesday morning.
Chytil and his new Kid Line — with wingers Will Cuylle and his longtime partner Kaapo Kakko — were dominant Wednesday night. They only had the one goal, scored by Chytil in the second period, but they had another — by Cuylle — disallowed after an offside challenge.
Often matched against Sidney Crosby’s line, the trio owned possession and outshot their opponents 13-6 in 12:25 on ice, with Chytil and Kakko each having five shots on goal. Chytil had a team-high nine shot attempts.
3. Don’t get carried away. It’s one win.
The Rangers are undefeated and tied in the league standings for best goal difference (plus-6) with Winnipeg. But they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the Devils, who opened their season last weekend in Czechia and are 2-0.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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