Rangers’ Artemi Panarin Shines, Igor Shesterkin’s Saves Lead to Victory Against Senators

And Khlebushek pursued Kaprizov and Kucherov.

16 points in 10 games is a good result, but the competition this season is in contention for the top scorers so much that these numbers only give a chance to get into the top 10, and nothing more. We are talking, of course, about him Artemia Panarinewho started the regular season well, and in the game against the Ottawa Senators he proved his status as an offensive superstar. But it happened that he was not the main hero of the game against the “Elders”, but his partner Igor Shesterkin.

Ottawa came to Madison before on April 15 this year – it was the last game of the 2023/2024 regular season, in which the Rangers won 4:0 and won the President’s Cup. This time, the Blueshirts had to just try to get two points and restore confidence in their abilities after an unsuccessful match with Washington. Mentor to New Yorkers Peter Laviolette he did not make major changes to the combinations, but noted that the team must fight better for the puck.

“If you don’t win the fight for the puck in one-on-one battles, you’re not giving yourself a chance to win. Fortunately, the boys responded very well to two losses in three games. The last training session was just fantastic. I expect all of this to lead to the game with Ottawa.“Laviolette said with hope and he wasn’t wrong.

Panarin set the mood for the Rangers, energizing his players and helping to open the scoring. In the fourth minute of the meeting, his connection partner Alexis Lafreniere he successfully intercepted someone else’s blue line and led Russia to a shot. A slick rocket from Panarin flew past the defender and blocked the Ottawa goalie. Linus Ullmark.

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The Senators turned things around and put the Rangers goalkeeper under the most pressure. Igor Shesterkinwho recorded 40 saves in the game. He only succeeded in throwing it Adam Godettwho completed Brady Tkachuk’s perfect pass into the pocket.

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It was Shesterkin who became the first star of the game, although the author of the winning goal was the same Lafreniere. Ottawa took out the guests with an amazing score of 41:18, but Shesterkin was simply brilliant.

“You know, it’s just impossible to put into words. Everyone sits on the bench and watches with their mouths open. Everyone is praying that he makes one more save to stay in the game. And he does it! Of course, we have to play a cleaner in defense and avoid such moments. But look who plays in our goal. We really like it”said the Blueshirts defender K’Andre Miller.

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«Igor’s rescue after Claude Giroux’s throw is something amazing. This save changed everything, everyone realized that it would be almost impossible to break through Shesterkin today. The fans understood this too. Shesterkin reads the game well, she reads the opponent’s sights. When Giroud got the puck, Igor was already ready, calmly moving forward on the goal line. He had a trap at the bottom, but responded to the throw into the top nine. It is very difficult to do from such a distance, but read it now. If you look at the replay, Igor started to raise the trap even before Giroud threw. It’s not just technique and reaction, it’s hockey intelligence.”“, the former Rangers goalkeeper admired Russia. Henrik Lundqvistwho now works as a specialist in the MSG Networks studio.

“This was definitely a game where the Rangers had to ask themselves who they are without Igor Shesterkin.– summary of the Daily Faceoff columnist Johnny Lazarus.