Rangers' Jonathan Quick starts in net over Igor Shesterkin in first game after All-Star break
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) pulls on his helmet after a pause in play while taking on the Ottawa Senators during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. Credit: AP/Sean Kilpatrick
After participating in the NHL’s All-Star Weekend in Toronto, goaltender Igor Shesterkin got the night off on Monday when the Rangers resumed their season against the Colorado Avalanche at Madison Square Garden.
Backup Jonathan Quick (10-4-2, 2.43 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) started in goal.
“This was the plan coming out of [the break],’’ coach Peter Laviolette said at Monday’s morning skate.
Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy two years ago as the NHL’s best goalie and has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons, has not had a stellar season. He is 19-12-1 but has a 2.86 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. He entered this season with a 2.37 GAA and .924 save percentage in his career.
Laviolette was asked if he believes the All-Star break will end up being a good thing for Shesterkin, who was 4-5-1 with a 3.24 GAA and .863 save percentage in his last 10 starts.
“You find out from a team, from players, from a goaltender, whatever it might be, [in the games] coming off the break,’’ he said. “But this also gives him a chance to get some work in, too [in practice]. It gives him a chance to work with the goalie coach [Benoit Allaire] and go over some things and dial in.’’
Blue lines
Forward Jake Leschyshyn and defenseman Connor Mackey, who were called up from AHL Hartford late Sunday, were the healthy scratches. Defenseman Jacob Trouba served the second game of his two-game suspension for elbowing Vegas forward Pavel Dorofeyev on Jan. 26.
Laviolette was asked if he was tempted to play Mackey, based on the strong game he had when he filled in for Trouba in the Rangers’ last game on Jan. 27 in Ottawa.
“I really liked what Mackey did and expressed that to him after the game when we were sending him back for the break,’’ Laviolette said. “I thought he played a heck of a game for us.’’
The Rangers celebrated Black History Night at Madison Square Garden.
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.
