Igor Shesterkin did not dress for the second straight game Tuesday night as the Rangers defeated the Red Wings, 5-3, at Madison Square Garden.
Sidelined with minor soreness that began after the Carolina game on Thursday, according to the Rangers, Shesterkin skated on his own Tuesday morning before the rest of the team took part in an optional skate in Tarrytown.
As a result, Jonathan Quick earned his second straight start and his first at the Garden.
Louis Domingue dressed as backup, while Shesterkin was listed as a scratch.
Shesterkin participated in practice on Monday, but not for the whole time. The fact he’s practicing at all is a good sign for his nearing return.
“He’s progressing,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of Shesterkin, who owns a 2.36 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage through eight games. “We’ll see how he is when he comes in [Wednesday].”
It is unclear how long Shesterkin will be unavailable, but it’s safe to assume the Rangers will ride Quick until his return. Laviolette said he wouldn’t rule Shesterkin out for Thursday’s game against the Wild.
There doesn’t appear to be any major concern over Shesterkin missing significant time. That being said, Quick will have to readjust to consistent playing time if Shesterkin’s absence continues.
“I think we’ll probably just go slow with it,” Laviolette said. “Day-to-day right now. We got a game [Tuesday night] and Jonathan’s in net. He’s played really well, certainly a lot of confidence in him with the way he’s played to start the season.”
Entering Tuesday’s game, Quick led the NHL in goals-against average at 1.42, while his .948 save percentage was tied with the Canucks’ Thatcher Demko for second best.
Quick has not only played significantly better than he did in the preseason, but the 37-year-old netminder has kept the Rangers in games they had no business being in.
Laviolette said Adam Fox is not in jeopardy of missing the entire season despite landing on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
“I don’t think [Fox will be out multiple months], but I don’t like talking about it too far out,” he said. “I don’t think that’s what we’re talking about. … We know he’s out for [the next nine games].”
Regarding both Fox and Filip Chytil, who is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and is eligible to return Sunday against Columbus, Laviolette noted that both players are progressing. They have not, however, resumed skating just yet.
Chris Kreider scored his ninth goal of the season and his NHL-leading sixth on the power play.
His nine goals are tied for the third-most in the NHL.
The Rangers’ power play, which has now scored in 10 of the first 12 games of the season, capitalized twice in the span of 44 seconds in the second period on goals from Kreider and Vincent Trocheck.
Additionally, the Blueshirts went 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
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