Rangers' Igor Shesterkin is ready for return against Panthers
Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers looks on during the second period against the Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1. Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — When he got injured in the third period of the Rangers’ 1-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 3, Igor Shesterkin’s first thought was, "[Not] again?’’
Shesterkin, the Rangers’ No. 1 goaltender, missed two weeks and eight games with what the team called a lower-body injury. Last season, he missed three weeks and 10 games with a groin injury suffered against the Devils in early March, and on Monday, he said this season’s injury was "probably the same’’ as that one.
The frustrating thing for Shesterkin was that when the Rangers opened training camp this fall, he talked about all the stretching and work he had done over the summer to prevent the same thing from happening again. He joked that he was so flexible coming into camp, he felt like a gymnast.
But all that stretching "didn’t help me,’’ he said Monday.
Nevertheless, Shesterkin, who came off injured reserve just before the Christmas break and practiced fully Monday, is healthy, feeling good and ready to go Wednesday, when the Rangers are scheduled to face the Panthers in the opener of a two-game road trip. He likely would have started in goal on Monday night if the game against the Detroit Red Wings had not been postponed by the NHL because of the league’s battle with COVID-19.
"Everything’s good,’’ coach Gerard Gallant said. "I mean, he seems to be moving fine. Benny [Allaire, the team’s director of goaltending] is happy with[Shesterkin’s work at practice] today and yesterday. And there’s no complaint about any injury.’’
Shesterkin, who is 13-3-2 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage, clearly was the Rangers’ best player during the season’s first two months. He was playing well enough to be a candidate to make the Russian Olympic team had the NHL not decided last week not to send its players to the Beijing Olympics.
His play was so good that Gallant felt he had little choice but to ride him hard, and he started him in 17 of the team’s first 22 games. But Shesterkin doesn’t think the workload had anything to do with his injury.
"Oh, no,’’ he said. "I think just, I need to stretch more, maybe. Because, you know, I’m not young right now.’’
He was making a joking reference to his upcoming birthday. He will turn 26 on Thursday.
Shesterkin promised to continue working to strengthen his body and reduce the chances for injury.
"I will work on this,’’ he said. "In Russia, we say if you got something [chronic] it means . . . you need to be stronger.’’
Notes & quotes: G Keith Kinkaid was called up from Hartford to take the place of Alexandar Georgiev, who went into COVID-19 protocol Sunday . D Patrik Nemeth exited protocol, but D Jarred Tinordi went in. D Ryan Lindgren also is on the COVID list . . . Former Rangers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck was named general manager of the USA Olympic team and former Rangers coach David Quinn was named head coach Monday by USA Hockey. The team will be composed of non-NHL players.
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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