Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was pulled to give Jonathan Quick some work
Artemi Panarin #10 of the Rangers keeps the puck away from Mathieu Olivier #24 of the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period of the game at Nationwide Arena on October 14, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: Getty Images/Kirk Irwin
Jonathan Quick made his Rangers debut in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators when he came off the bench to replace Igor Shesterkin after Filip Forsberg’s power play goal with 6:07 remaining in the second period gave the Predators a 4-0 lead. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said the decision to change goalies was all about getting Quick some ice time, and not because he was disappointed in Shesterkin.
“Jonathan's gonna play on the road [on the upcoming trip to Seattle and Western Canada],’’ Laviolette said. “The game had not gone the way we wanted to at that point . . .[Shesterkin’s] making saves, they're putting in a second opportunity, they're scoring on breakaways. It wasn't a reflection of a move against [Shesterkin]. It's just a chance to get Jonathan some work.’’
Shesterkin, who started each of the first four games, faced 18 shots and made 14 saves. Quick, the two-time Stanley Cup champion with the L.A. Kings, and a winner as a backup last spring with the Vegas Golden Knights, signed with the Rangers as a free agent over the summer. He faced nine shots, all in the third period, and stopped them all.
Panarin, Wheeler switched
After Wednesday’s practice, Laviolette had said he intended to let the lines he’d put together stay together for a while to see if they would work and develop chemistry. But, trying to rally in the third period Thursday, he did make a couple of switches, swapping Artemi Panarin, the left wing on the second line, with Blake Wheeler, the right wing on the third line. Panarin ended up playing on the right with rookie Will Cuylle and center Vincent Trocheck, while Wheeler moved to the left, with center Filip Chytil and right wing Alexis Lafrenière.
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.
