RALEIGH, N.C. — The ‘I-GOR!’ chants made all of it the best way to PNC Area.
They echoed all through the constructing periodically from a robust New York presence within the crowd. They vibrated across the rink after each huge save and in each second that Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin closed the door on the Hurricanes to assist punch his crew’s ticket to the Japanese Convention Remaining with a 6-2 win over a Carolina crew that was beforehand undefeated at dwelling.
After 39 saves in an additional time victory over the Penguins in Recreation 7 in Spherical 1 and 37 saves on this Recreation 7 conquer the Hurricanes in Spherical 2, the legacy of Shesterkin’s identify has solely simply begun.
“He’s carried out all of it 12 months,” head coach Gerard Gallant mentioned after the win, which tees up a convention closing matchup with the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, the Lightning. “Nothing surprises me. He made some nice saves at key occasions. Clearly, in that first interval, I believe they'd [16] pictures and he was excellent and made that 2-0 lead maintain up for us.”
With 16 saves within the first interval, Shesterkin was within the zone from puck drop. He withstood a push from the Hurricanes within the opening minutes earlier than robbing a one-timer within the slot from Carolina’s top-line winger Tuevo Teravainen later within the interval. Shesterkin swallowed up a shot from Nino Niederreiter to kick off the second interval and saved the puck out of the web on one other sequence through which he misplaced his stick amid a bunch of site visitors in entrance of him.
Entry the Rangers beat like by no means earlier than
Entry the Rangers beat like by no means earlier than
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The 26-year-old netminder has mentioned he all the time tries to only play his recreation, regardless of how brilliant the lights of the stage are, however do these Recreation 7s really feel any totally different for him?
“Somewhat shaky earlier than recreation,” Shesterkin mentioned with out the assistance of a translator. “However once I go to the ice, I attempt to neglect about all the pieces and attempt to maintain deal with the puck.
“It’s nice, nice feeling. I believe we did an ideal job. Blocked numerous pictures and it's important to be prepared for subsequent spherical.”
Shesterkin mentioned the Rangers’ two early power-play objectives helped him settle into the sport. From then on, he mentioned, he simply tried to do his job and cease the puck. However it’s been Shesterkin’s sturdiness in internet that has grounded the Rangers all season lengthy, and it’s carried over into the postseason.
“Shesty was his ordinary self,” Adam Fox mentioned.
Shesterkin and the Rangers have gone up towards third-string goalies, backup goalies and had one recreation towards a starter who was coming off a damaged foot. The problem in purpose that awaits within the subsequent spherical might be not like something they’ve seen earlier than.
That problem has a reputation, too, and it’s Andrei Vasilevskiy.
“He's one of the best goalie on the planet proper now,” Shesterkin mentioned frankly. “I believe it will likely be battle.”
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