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This might have represented the best of all worlds in the three-dimensional universe in which the Rangers live. For: 1) Being summarily swept out of the qualifying round, 1-2-3, lickety-split by the Candy Canes of Carolina does not erase the significant strides the 2019-20 Rangers took in transforming from lottery-fodder to playoff relevance. But: 2) …
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Not even Igor Shesterkin could save the Rangers season. Finally cleared to make his postseason debut in time for Tuesday’s Game 3, the rookie goalie was strong in net, but it still wasn’t enough as the Rangers fell to the Hurricanes, 4-1, and got swept out of the Stanley Cup qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena. Former …
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Igor Shesterkin was healthy enough to practice Sunday, but David Quinn said following the team’s workout that he had not yet anointed a starting goaltender for Monday afternoon’s Game 2 against Carolina. “I haven’t really decided,” the coach said. “[I’m] not sure yet whether Igor will be available.” The question is this: Is an impaired …
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Henrik Lundqvist will not be unseated from his playoff throne just yet. It was Lundqvist, not Igor Shesterkin, who led the Rangers onto the ice for warmups ahead of Saturday’s Game 1 against the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena. He was set to be backed up by Alexandar Georgiev while Shesterkin …
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So maybe this series against the Candy Canes isn’t officially recognized as a playoff round, but it is the postseason — the postseason! — and the rebuilding Rangers are playing hockey. Raise your hand if you envisioned that as a possibility when The Letter went out on Feb. 8, 2018. You in the back row, …
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All that anyone truly wanted out of this exhibition match was to come out of it healthy. It appears as if, after a scare, that the Rangers met that objective. For though Marc Staal, the Blueshirt with 104 games of Stanley Cup playoff experience, left Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to the Islanders in Toronto after the …
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Six days and two scrimmages into prep work for the tournament, David Quinn said, “I think it’s kind of a good time to reassess where we’re at and go from there,” as far as the competition to be the starting goaltender for Game 1 against Carolina. The fact is, though, that the Rangers are at …
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Incumbency has its rewards, and especially so when it is accompanied by a 10-2 record with a 2.52 GAA and a .932 save percentage. So yes, Igor Shesterkin is the presumptive No. 1 as the Rangers prepare for their qualifying-round matchup against Carolina that will commence in the Toronto bubble Aug. 1. But Henrik Lundqvist …
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I don’t know whether Henrik Lundqvist can reclaim the No. 1 job in nets from Igor Shesterkin when (and if) the Rangers reconvene at some point late next month or in early July. But I do know that David Quinn and the coaching staff would be making a mistake if they enter camp with minds …
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It’s looking like the Battle of New York will soon get a Russian twist. It seems the Islanders will be getting long-awaited netminder Ilya Sorokin for the start of the 2020-21 season, as he reportedly chose not to re-sign with CSKA of the KHL and plans to sign his entry-level contract with the Islanders once …
This might have represented the best of all worlds in the three-dimensional universe in which the Rangers live. For: 1) Being summarily swept out of the qualifying round, 1-2-3, lickety-split by the Candy Canes of Carolina does not erase the significant strides the 2019-20 Rangers took in transforming from lottery-fodder to playoff relevance. But: 2) …
