Alexandar Georgiev to start for Rangers, but who's the backup?
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant looks on during a game against the Islanders at UBS Arena on Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Minutes after backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev came off the bench to replace an injured Igor Shesterkin and finish the Rangers’ 1-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, coach Gerard Gallant declared that Georgiev, who made nine saves in 14:52, will start when the Rangers host Chicago on Saturday night.
Shesterkin was helped off the ice and to the locker room, unable to put weight on his right leg. Although Gallant said the injury was not as bad as it looked, it would seem highly unlikely that Shesterkin would be in any kind of shape to serve as backup goaltender Saturday. That means the Rangers likely will have to call up a player from the minor leagues.
Farmingville native Keith Kinkaid has carried most of the load at AHL Hartford, playing in 11 games (9-1-1) with a 2.59 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. Kinkaid, however, reportedly is one of the players who is in COVID-19 protocol at Hartford, which had its season paused this week because several players tested positive for the virus.
The other goalie at Hartford, Adam Huska, has played in six games (2-3-1) with a 2.20 GAA and .924 save percentage. If he is not available for recall, the Rangers have Tyler Wall playing with Jacksonville of the ECHL. Wall is 5-3 with a 2.41 GAA and a .900 save percentage.
Combined shutout
The combined shutout for Shesterkin and Georgiev was only the second in franchise history, according to the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Ranta shared one on Dec. 15, 2016, in Dallas. The combined shutout was the first in the NHL since Thomas Greiss and Semyon Varlamov shared one for the Islanders against Columbus on Nov. 30, 2019.
Blue notes
The Rangers are 2-1-1 in the front end of a back-to-back this season. They are 1-1-1 in the back end . . . Gallant stayed with the same lineup for the fourth straight game, meaning the scratches were defensemen Libor Hajek and Jarred Tinordi and forward Morgan Barron, who was recalled Thursday from Hartford.
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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