Who's next in Rangers' net is anyone's guess
Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers makes a save during the second period against the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Rangers were off on Sunday after their weekend sweep of a back-to-back set with the Detroit Red Wings. That meant no chance to ask coach David Quinn whom he plans to start in goal Monday night against the Dallas Stars, and no opportunity to ask if left wing Chris Kreider has a chance to play after leaving Saturday’s game with what the team called an upper-body injury.
Kreider took a knee to the side of his head from linemate Mika Zibanejad early in the second period after he fell to the ice and Zibanejad tried to avoid colliding with him by leaping over him.
Kreider immediately left the game, but afterward, Quinn said he already was feeling better and that the Rangers didn’t anticipate that he will be out long-term.
The club did call up forward Phillip DiGiuseppe from AHL Hartford to be available if Kreider can’t go.
Who will start in goal, though, will be another question. The Rangers continue to carry three goaltenders on their roster, and managing their ice time is tricky.
After going three weeks between starts, Henrik Lundqvist played in Saturday’s 1-0 road victory over Detroit, making 33 saves and overcoming a shaky start to finish strong as the Red Wings pressed for the tying goal in the third period. Igor Shesterkin was in goal for Friday’s 4-2 win over Detroit.
“At this level, I haven’t experienced a three-goalie rotation, so you just try and go with the flow a little bit and you don’t really know who’s in the next game,’’ Lundqvist said Saturday after earning his first shutout since 2017. “You just have to try to keep a positive attitude. [With me] being used to being out there, it’s different, that’s for sure. In the end, you try to understand big picture, but also what the other guys [Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev] have been doing. They’ve been playing well. We’ll see who’s in the net the next game.’’
The Rangers have four games in the next seven days, so all three goalies should see action this week After facing Dallas, they have games Wednesday (against Toronto), Friday (against Buffalo) and Sunday (against Los Angeles).
Quinn could choose to give Lundqvist a second consecutive start or could turn to Georgiev, who last played in the final game before the All-Star break on Jan. 21. Given Georgiev’s career record against the Maple Leafs, it seems more likely that he will go Wednesday against Toronto.
Georgiev has started both games against Toronto this season and started all three games against the Maple Leafs last season. He has a 3-2 record against the Maple Leafs with a 3.20 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
There’s also the not small matter of the Rangers having been linked to Toronto in trade rumors involving Georgiev.
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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