Igor Shesterkin off to Vezina worthy start for New York Rangers
Igor Shesterkin is the reigning NHL Vezina winner and regarded the favourite to repeat. The final goaltender to win back-to-back titles was Martin Brodeur with the New Jersey Devils in 2007 and 2008.
While discussions of Vezina are very untimely, what ought to not less than be mentioned is Shesterkin’s unbelievable start to the 12 months.
Shesterkin is certainly one of solely three goaltenders this season to go undefeated in regulation together with Carter Hart of the Flyers and Linus Ullmark of the Bruins.
Last night time, Shesterkin beat Hart because the Rangers beat the Flyers in OT 1-0. Next up, it is going to be Ullmark because the Bruins come to the Garden on Thursday night time.
Igor Shesterkin nice start
Shesterkin, 26, was spectacular final season to seize the Vezina Trophy because the league’s prime goaltender.
Posting a 36-13-4 file, he helped lead the New York Rangers to second place within the Metro Division and to the Eastern Conference finals. His .935 SV% and a pair of.07 GAA led the league in each classes for the common season.
This season, Shesterkin hasn’t been as off when it comes to his GAA and SV%, however his battle stage has gone up a notch. Currently, his file stands at 6-0-2 with a 2.22 GAA and a .921 SV%. It’s nearly like he refuses to lose in regulation and that was evident on Tuesday night time towards Philadelphia.
After Shesterkin shut down the Flyers by stopping all 19 photographs, together with a number of high-danger possibilities late within the third, coach Gerard Gallant was requested if it was his greatest sport of the season.
“No,” Gallant answered shortly. “He didn’t have much work and that’s the hardest thing. But I think in the end he made two, maybe three great saves and that was huge.”
In reality, Igor’s greatest sport got here in a shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche the place he stopped 42 of 44 photographs. In that sport, an errant ball play early within the third interval gave the Avs a 2-1 lead.
The blunder was one thing nobody anticipated contemplating how unbelievable Igor is on the ball. However, a lesson was discovered.
“It was a good game,” a miffed Shesterkin mentioned afterward. “One goalkeeper saved a shot and the other missed a shot. That’s the difference.”
Currently, Shesterkin has a 5v5 excessive threat GAA of .96 and a .878% HDSV. in accordance to the trick of pure statistics. In 2021-22, it was 1.16 HDGAA with an .867 HDSV%.
There is sufficient proof to present that Shesterkin can enhance all of his stats. A scary thought for opposing groups.
As the New York Rangers protection continues to enhance and restrict the quantity of possibilities within the slot space, Shesterkin’s stats may very well be otherworldly.
So is it actually too early to discuss concerning the Vezina? If Shesterkin can accomplish the feat of profitable back-to-back titles, he would be the solely goaltender in Rangers historical past to achieve this.
New York Rangers Vezina Winners
- Dave Kerr (1939-40)
- Ed Giacomin & Gilles Villemure (1970-71)
- John Vanbiesbrouck (1985-86)
- Henrik Lundqvist (2011-12)
- Igor Shesterkin (2021-22)
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