Rangers rookie Igor Shesterkin will get the start in net on Sunday against the Kings
Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers makes a save during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Igor Shesterkin will start in goal Sunday when the Rangers close out their four-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings, who are last in the Western Conference.
It will be the sixth start for Shesterkin since his initial recall from AHL Hartford on Jan. 6 and his third in the six games the Rangers have played since the All-Star break. He also started Wednesday’s 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs,and the 4-2 win over Detroit on Jan. 31.
Shesterkin has a 4-1 record, a 2.60 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. His GAA and save percentage are the best among the three goalies on the roster.
Said coach David Quinn, “He certainly is playing the best so far.’’
Haley to undergo surgery
The Rangers announced that forward Micheal Haley will have surgery to repair a bilateral core muscle injury and will be sidelined indefinitely.
Haley has not played since the last game before the All-Star break, though he did practice as recently as Tuesday and took part in the morning skate Friday. Quinn said the injury was not something that came on recently.
“It’s something that he’s had for a while, and just kind of gradually got worse,’’ Quinn said.
Haley, a physical forward who attended training camp as a professional tryout and signed a one-year contract after making the team, has played in 22 games and scored one goal. He has 50 penalty minutes.
Panarin slows down
Quinn was asked if opposing teams are defending Artemi Panarin differently recently. The team’s leading scorer has gone four games without a goal and has only two assists in that span. He has 27 goals and 45 assists in 52 games.
“Obviously, teams are aware of him and the season he’s having,’’ Quinn said. “And teams are paying a little bit more special attention to him. But I also think it might be the ebbs and flow of a season for a great player. He’s going through a stretch here where, you know, things aren’t happening statistically for him, and I also think that when that happens to someone who’s used to being productive offensively, they press. And he’s made a lot of turnovers lately that he usually doesn’t make.’’
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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