Igor Shesterkin Still Shaking Off Rust After Return From Injury
Igor Shesterkin is coming under fire from a few fans on social media about his performance the last two games against the New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars.
Prior to the game against the Devils, he missed the previous five games due to injury.
His first game back, Shesterkin started a bit shaky. Allowing two goals, one came from a rolling puck by Jack Hughes, which was originally blown dead prior to passing the line, but a questionable call by the refs made it a good goal. But Shesterkin did allow the goal to pass by his legs.
He faced 10 shots in the first period.
After that, he faced 25 shots, and allowed only one in the second and third period, looking as sharp as ever.
We all were thinking Shesterkin is back, after getting a return to form in the last two periods against the Devils.
Yet against Dallas, he was off again. But he didn't cost the Rangers the game. If anything, he held strong at the first and second period.
The defense just collapsed in front of him. Allowing a 3-on-1 rush towards the Rangers net off a turnover which Shesterkin didn't have a chance to stop, and the second goal was a mad scramble in front of the net.
The team seemed deflated at that point and allowed two more goals to make it 4-2.
The final two goals to make it 6-2 were empty net goals, Shesterkin had nothing to do with those two.
It'll be interesting with three games in four nights coming up, how Peter Laviolette will continue to handle getting Shesterkin back in shape, which of these games will he have Jonathan Quick start.
But in terms of starting goaltender for the season and playoffs, Shesterkin is the man.
Let's not have one loss deter our faith in Shesterkin. The man has been a model of consistency and he will show it again when he gets back into game shape. Just watch, he will silence the doubters!
