Shesty’s turn to carry Rangers when needed
THERE was a natural tendency to do this with the previous two stars who used to stand guard between the pipes for the Rangers.
Mike Richter and Henrik Lundqvist were so good and so dependable for so long during their respective runs as the Rangers goaltenders — 14 years for Richter and 15 for Lundqvist — that there were times they were taken for granted.
It was only human nature to overlook just how good the Rangers had it with Richter, who was in net for the Rangers’ last Stanley Cup 30 years ago, and Lundqvist, who was a prolific and perennial winner with uncanny skills and quiet class.
And today, if we’re not there already, we’re quietly reaching that stage with Lundqvist’s replacement after the 2019-20 season, Igor Shesterkin.
Shesterkin is the latest link to the three-decade bridge of sustained excellence in goal for the Rangers. You can make an easy argument that he’s the linchpin to their success in the Eastern Conference second-round playoff series against the Hurricanes.
Shesterkin didn’t stand on his head and put the team on his back in the Rangers four-game sweep of the Capitals in the opening round. He didn’t have to. Washington was an offensively challenged team that averaged only 25 shots on goal per game, few of which would be categorized as high-danger.
Carolina is a different animal altogether. The Hurricanes averaged more than 33 shots per game in the regular season and, unlike the plodding system the Capitals run, they’re a swarming, fast and more skilled group that has the ability to pepper the opposing goaltender.
That means Shesterkin, who allowed just seven goals in the four games against Washington, will almost certainly will be called upon to carry the Rangers at times in this series.
Just like Richter did in his prime and Lundqvist did in his day.
“There has been a long history and a great recent history of great goaltending with the Rangers,’’ Richter told The Post on Friday. “You saw it with Hank [Lundqvist] and you see it with Shesterkin: You put good raw talent, a work ethic and great instruction together and you have a pretty powerful thing.
“I am so impressed that, with Henrik’s departure, you had someone like Shesterkin walk in there and play to this level. That’s very rare.’’
When Lundqvist retired, he did so having played in 887 regularseason games with a 459-310-96 record, a 2.43 goals-against average and a save percentage of .918.
At the time, Rangers fans were left to wonder what would be next. Next, of course, was Shesterkin.
Shesterkin, who just finished his fifth regular season in New York, has the exact same 2.43 career goals-against average that Lundqvist had and a .921 save percentage.
“Igor is such a good goaltender, and to seamlessly be able to walk in there and play at this level is remarkable,’’ Richter said. “Most goalies have their ups and downs, but Igor has been remarkably consistent, top of the league, just a great player. That’s hard to do when you lose a top player at that same position — particularly in goaltending. Shesterkin came in and showed his ability from Day One.
“It’s hard to bridge it perfectly, because if you have a really good veteran goaltender, almost by definition the guy behind him is not going to play and develop. It can be tricky.’’
The Rangers have aced that test for some 30 years.
“Shesterkin is just really businesslike,’’ Richter said. “He does his job. He just shows up and plays. It’s just a real stable hand on the wheel of the team. That’s not easy to get a guy that young doing it.’’
This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Shesterkin’s teammates.
“Having him back there just kind of calms everything down,’’ Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, a teammate of Shesterkin’s since the goalie came to the team, said. “That’s every team’s dream to have a goalie like him. We are very fortunate and very aware of how good he is. We definitely don’t take that for granted.’’
Alex Wennberg, who came to the Rangers in midseason, played against Shesterkin before he came to New York, so he knew how good he is. He just didn’t know he was this good.
“Sometimes people do take it for granted, but inside of here (the Rangers locker room), no one takes him for granted,’’ Wennberg said.
“Igor is just so reliable,’’ Richter said. “He makes the saves he’s supposed to save and he makes saves you wouldn’t expect anybody to make.’’