NET HALF FULL
Diminished Georgiev set for first start in goal since DeAngelo dustup
Alexandar Georgiev will get the call for the Rangers’ match Wednesday at the Garden against the Bruins, marking the 25-year-old netminder’s first assignment since that fateful Jan. 30 night when he tussled in the tunnel with Tony DeAngelo.
“I don’t want to elaborate on what happened. I just want to keep it in the past,” Georgiev said in his first public statements since the incident, which led to DeAngelo’s expulsion from the Rangers. “Emotions happened, and that’s all I can say.
“I wish Tony the best moving forward.”
It is well established that DeAngelo made a disparaging comment to Georgiev as the Rangers left the ice following the Penguins’ 5-4 overtime victory, during which the goaltender had hardly been at his best. Georgiev responded with a punch to the defenseman with his blocker before K’Andre Miller broke up the scuffle.
DeAngelo has since been waived. Georgiev has been sitting behind Igor Shesterkin for the past three games, in which his partner recorded a 1.68 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. Interestingly, Shesterkin has not yet started more than three straight games through his brief NHL career. Perhaps equally interesting is that neither has Georgiev.
“I think [Alex] has handled [the fallout] it well,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. “It’s been over a week now, and I think we’ve all moved past it. Our guys are in a good spot, and he’s in a good spot. He’s looked good in practice.
“I think it’s important for him to get in the net for a variety of reasons. We’re going to need him, one, and two, he wants to play. I think this will help him to continue to move forward here, but I think he’s moved forward anyway.”
What the Rangers and Georgiev both need is for the goaltender to reach into the past. Say to the final couple of months of last season, when he appeared in complete command of his game and was equal to the playoffchase moment. Georgiev, who was economical, always seemed square to the shooter, in control of rebounds and able to sweep loose pucks out of danger.
Georgiev brought that game and that confidence into his first start of this season, when he stopped 23 shots in shutting out the Islanders on Jan. 16. But the Bulgarian native was out of sorts in his next three starts, appearing to lunge and stab at pucks while leaving all manner of loose rebounds and surrendering a handful of questionable goals.
He went 0-2-1 in those three starts with a 4.50 GAA and .854 save percentage. It is true that the Rangers need Georgiev, but it is even more so a fact that they need the goaltender to be better.
“I’ve been going with Benny, as usual, the goalie practices,” Georgiev said, referencing goaltender coach Benoit Allaire. “I’m trying to stay sharp every day, read the releases and kind of follow the game from the bench.
“I’ve been working hard in practice, waiting for the next chance to play. Business as usual.”