TORONTO — Anyone who bought tickets to Saturday’s game focused on seeing a fight between Matt Rempe and Ryan Reaves left disappointed. Anyone hoping for a well-played game between two teams that look like conference contenders left more than satisfied.
The Rangers won 4-1 in Toronto behind a stellar goaltending performance from Igor Shesterkin, who keeps proving his worth to New York. The game was far closer than the final score indicated; a pair of empty net goals inflated the result.
Here are four takeaways:
Shesterkin keeps excelling
With the way Shesterkin is playing, the Rangers might have to get used to opponents bringing up his expiring contract. After each of Shesterkin’s past two games, someone from the opposition has alluded to it. Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said he was smart to turn down the reported $11 million average annual value contract, and his opposing goaltender chimed in after the Toronto game.
“You can see why he’s going to be the highest-paid goalie in the league,” Anthony Stolarz said.
If Shesterkin’s agent needs any more evidence to demand an astronomical contract in extension talks, the goalie keeps giving it to him. He was the difference against the Maple Leafs, saving 34 of 35 shots he faced.
“New words are hard (to find) to describe how good he is and how important he is for us,” Mika Zibanejad said. “He just gives us a chance to win. We try to play as good of defense as we can in front of him. We try to limit some of the chances, but they’re going to happen, especially against a team like this. I thought he was unbelievable.”
Shesterkin’s brilliance began in the first period. Shortly before intermission, Bobby McMann fed William Nylander for a breakaway after a defensive breakdown. The Rangers goalie was there to turn him away. He was impenetrable in the second period, too. He made a difficult skate save on a Max Domi shot from an odd angle, then stopped Domi again on a breakaway later in the period. His flashiest save came on a Toronto power play. He made a windmill stop to rob John Tavares.
That allowed the Rangers to score the first two goals of the game.
“He’s been covering up a lot of mistakes so far this year,” Reilly Smith said. “He’s kind of given us bigger leads than we probably deserve in games. It’s been awesome for this team.”
Auston Matthews finally solved Shesterkin after a series of dangerous chances early in the third period. Matthews kept a puck from Adam Fox behind the net, then skated to the front and beat the goalie. He nearly scored an equalizer shortly after when he received a puck backdoor, but Shesterkin got his pad out just enough to block the initial shot. Matthews’ rebound attempt went wide.
“He comes up with big saves when his team needs it,” the Leafs captain said.
In total, the Leafs had 55 percent of the expected goal share at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. Shesterkin made sure that didn’t translate to a Toronto win.
“He’s a world-class goaltender,” Smith said. “Possibly the best.”
Top forwards provide scoring
With Shesterkin shutting the door on Matthews and the Maple Leafs on one end, the Rangers’ top forwards delivered all the offense New York needed. Midway through the first period, Victor Mancini threw a puck on net midway through the first period, which Vincent Trocheck tipped toward Anthony Stolarz. The goaltender made the save, but the puck remained loose in front of the net. Alexis Lafrenière seized possession. He skated across the slot and shot when he had an angle. The puck flew past Stolarz glove-side, putting the Rangers up a goal.
“For me it’s more of a confidence I think that’s just kind of built from last year,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “He seems to have just picked this year from where he dropped it off last year.”
The Chris Kreider-Zibanejad-Smith line was also effective. The Rangers had 59 percent of the expected goal share at five-on-five with them on the ice, and the trio teamed up for two goals: a Zibanejad backdoor pass to Kreider in the second and an empty-net goal in the third. Artemi Panarin scored another empty netter with 14 seconds left, giving everyone in the top six at least 1 point.
A thing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/Q8VT2W7UBM
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 20, 2024
Late penalty kill proves vital
Matthews drew a trip on Trouba late in the third period, giving Toronto a chance to tie the score. With Trouba in the box, Laviolette turned to Braden Schneider, K’Andre Miller, Adam Fox and Chad Ruhwedel as his defensemen for the kill.
Shesterkin had to make two saves on the power play, stopping John Tavares and Nick Robertson, but the penalty kill units made sure he had eyes on both of them. Toronto’s most dangerous chance with the man advantage might have been Matthew Knies cutting across the front of the net with the puck, but the young forward couldn’t get a shot on net.
“It’s a big penalty kill there when you’re up by a goal and time is dwindling down,” Smith said. “I think we did a good job just taking away lanes and forcing them to make tough plays, plays to the middle. I thought we did a good job just defending as a group and getting clears.”
Jones sits, Mancini stays in
Laviolette sat Zac Jones in favor of Chad Ruhwedel, who played 14:04 on Saturday and tied for the team lead with a plus-two rating. Jones had played in the previous four games, posting an assist and a plus-four rating while averaging 15:45 of ice time. The Rangers had 44.18 percent of the expected goal share with him on the ice at five-on-five.
Ruhwedel played only five games with the Rangers after coming over at the 2024 trade deadline. Laviolette praised his physicality and skating when explaining his decision to put him in the lineup.
“He’s been great for us,” he said. “He’s played really strong, played some good games. He’s been out for a little bit and I want to make sure we’re getting everybody involved.”
With Jones out, Victor Mancini remained in the lineup, this time playing the left side. He picked up his first NHL assist and also successfully defended a Nylander-led three-on-one. He finished the night with his first NHL assist but only 12 minutes of ice time. Laviolette praised his play postgame.
The decision to leave Mancini in the lineup and try him on the left side might lend some perspective to Laviolette’s thinking when it comes to the lineup upon Ryan Lindgren’s return from injury. Mancini is waiver exempt, though, making him easier to send to the minors. That could also play a role in the team’s thought process.
(Photo: Nick Turchiaro / Imagn Images)
