Igor Shesterkin

Igor Shesterkin off IR, Patrik Nemeth in COVID protocol

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The Rangers inched closer to welcoming back their star goaltender but have lost a defenseman to health and safety protocols.

The New York Rangers announced on Saturday that star goaltender Igor Shesterkin has been removed from injured reserve, sending Keith Kinkaid back to AHL Hartford. Additionally, defenseman Patrik Nemeth was placed in COVID protocols.

Shesterkin has not played since leaving Dec. 3’s win over San Jose with a non-contact lower-body injury. His efforts spurred the Rangers’ hot start that currently has them amongst the Metropolitan Division’s elite. Shesterkin had begun traveling with the team on its recent road trip but now returns to the active roster with this move.

Despite missing the last eight games, Shesterkin (13-3-2, 2.05 GAA) continues to pace the NHL’s qualifying goaltenders in save percentage at .937. The Rangers (19-7-4) have performed respectably in his absence, having gone 4-3-1 with the services of Kinkaid, Alexandar Georgiev, and Adam Huska. Georgiev has taken over the primary duties, going 3-2-1 with a .935 save percentage in the seven games since Shesterkin’s injury.

Nemeth, in the midst of his first season with the Rangers after eight prior seasons with Dallas, Colorado, and Detroit, has been placed in COVID protocols, the team’s first entrant in the NHL’s recent uptick in cases amidst the Omicron variant. He has partaken in all 30 games this season, earning two assists on the third defensive pairing.

It should be noted that the Arizona Coyotes, the Rangers’ Wednesday opponent, placed three players on their own COVID list, including Jay Beagle, Lawson Crouse, and Alex Galchenyuk.

For the time being, the Rangers are currently scheduled to take on the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET, MSG). It will be their final game before five scheduled days off for the league’s annual Christmas break.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Rangers: Adam Huska to make first career start vs. Colorado

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Like Igor Shesterkin before him, Adam Huska will make his first start for the Rangers against the Colorado Avalanche.

It’s deja blue all over again.

New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant announced that goaltender Adam Huska will make his first career NHL start on Wednesday night when his Blueshirts battle the Colorado Avalanche (7 p.m. ET, MSG 2/NHL Network). Huska will face Colorado nearly two full calendar years to the day that regular Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made first appeared, with his first start also coming against visitors from Denver at Madison Square Garden in January 2020.

In video released by SNY, Gallant mentioned that the Rangers’ condensed schedule put Huska in net. The Rangers (17-4-3) will play seven games over the next 14 days, starting with Wednesday’s visit from the Avalanche. It’s the latter half of a back-to-back after a 6-2 victory in Chicago on Tuesday.

Huska was called up from AHL Hartford earlier this week as the Rangers continue to work through Shesterkin’s non-contact lower-body injury sustained last Friday against San Jose. Alexandar Georgiev has taken over as the Rangers’ starter with Shesterkin out, earning wins in each of the past two contests.

“The kid’s getting his first chance,” Gallant said. “We’re looking forward to it. He’s excited, we’re excited.”

Huska, 24, joined the Rangers as a seventh-round pick (184th overall) in the 2015 draft. The Slovakia native has shared Hartford’s goaltending duties with NHL veteran Keith Kinkaid and has earned a 2.20 goals against average to go with a .924 save percentage and 2-3-1 record. He also appeared in two preseason games earlier this fall, stopping 18 of 22 shots.

The AHL hasn’t been Huska’s first exposure to Hartford hockey as he previously served as the University of Connecticut’s goaltender for three seasons.

Huska’s official NHL debut will be a trial by fire: though they’ve struggled to string wins together after a torrid November, Colorado (13-7-2) boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the NHL. The Avalanche have scored 92 goals this season, tied with Washington for the NHL’s second-best tally entering Wednesday night. Cale Makar leads the team with 11 goals, which also top all NHL defensemen, while Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen have 10 each.

Entering the final stanza of a five-game eastern swing, Colorado is coming off a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. The Avalanche put up 50 shots on net and saw all but four skaters earn at least one point.

Huska will wear No. 32, last worn by fellow backup goaltender Antti Raanta (2016-17).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Rangers call up G Adam Huska to back up Alexandar Georgiev

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The New York Rangers call up goaltender Adam Huska from the AHL Hartford Wolfpack Saturday afternoon per the AHL transaction page.

The New York Rangers will have Adam Huska backing up Alexandar Georgiev when the Blueshirts host the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday night at the Garden.

Huska 24-years-old has appeared in six games for the Hartford Wolf Pack with a 2-3-1 record. he has recorded a 2.20 GAA along with a .924 save percentage serving as the back to Keith Kinkaid.

Kinkaid would most likely be the goalie called up, but per Rangers beat writer Vince Mercogliano he is currently in Covid Protocol in the AHL and is unable to be recalled. The Wolf Pack have been dealing with a Covid situation since Dec. 1  that has resulted in their games being canceled through this weekend.

MRI on Saturday

Shesterkin was scheduled to have an MRI on Saturday to determine the severity of his injury.

Head coach Gerard Gallant told the media following last night’s win that Jim Ramsay, told him the right-leg injury seems minor. He definitely seems like he’s feeling some relief.

Shetserkin and Geogeiev combined for the 1-0 shutout over the San Jose Sharks on Friday night with Shestrkin earing his 13th win of the season. It was the team’s second combined shutout win in team history. The other combined shutout win was in 2016 when Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta shared a 2-0 victory.

 

Barron sent to AHL

Morgan Barron was sent back done to the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday morning.

New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin injury “not as bad as it looked”

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New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant hinted that Igor Shesterkin might’ve avoided disaster after a Friday injury.

In a statement that launched a thousand cautious exhales, New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant announced that Igor Shesterkin’s game-ending injury from Friday was “not as bad as it looked”.

Shesterkin was working on a shutout effort against the San Jose Sharks at Madison Square Garden when he was forced to depart with a non-contact injury. The star goaltender was unable to put weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice. Alexandar Georgiev took over the last 14:52 of what became a 1-0 Rangers win, creating the team’s first shared shutout since December 2016.

Gallant offered an optimistic approach after the game, describing the ailment as a “minor lower-body” issue.

“They’re telling me it’s not as bad as it looks,” Gallant said, per Vince Mercogliano of LoHud.com. “The trainer just said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ That’s all he told me.”

Shesterkin has played a major role in the Rangers’ hot start. He has been the winning goaltender in each of the Blueshirts victories during an active five-game streak and has amassed a league-best 13 victories (tied with Jack Campbell of Toronto). His save percentage (.937) and goal against average (2.05) rank third and fifth respectively amongst qualifying goaltenders.

Georgiev, the incumbent backup, is expected to take over in Shesterkin’s wake. Friday marked his first action since Nov. 21, when he was pulled from a start against Buffalo after allowing four goals on 18 shots over two periods (Shesterkin earned the win in a 5-4 final). His nine saves helped the Rangers (15-4-3) seal the deal against San Jose to extend the Eastern Conference’s longest active winning streak (tied with Toronto). Georgiev is in the midst of his fifth season as the Rangers’ primary backup goaltender after joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

Though Georgiev has struggled this season (2-1-1, 3.89 GAA), he held down the fort against the Sharks, though he did not earn his first win since Nov. 14’s overtime decision against New Jersey. The Bulgarian-born goaltender was always scheduled to start the Rangers’ Saturday tilt against Chicago (8 p.m. ET, MSG), the second half a back-to-back set at MSG.

Per Mollie Walker of the New York Post, the Rangers have promoted Adam Huska from AHL Hartford to serve as Georgiev’s backup. Hartford is currently in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak-induced pause, one that placed regular goalie Keith Kinkaid in protocols. Huska joined the Rangers as a seventh-round draft pick in 2015 and has earned a 2-3-1 record with a team-best .924 save percentage this AHL season. Morgan Barron is set to return to Hartford in a corresponding move.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

New York Rangers: Igor believes he can play better, a tough start for the Breadman & Foco Holiday gear

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The New York Rangers have not played a game since Monday’s nights win over the Florida Panthers, but there has been action in Rangerstown on and off the ice.

THeir 7-3-3 record can be misleading. The New New York Rangers might be the most underrated team in the National Hockey League, sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Winning games can sometimes hide the deficiencies in the team’s game plan, but for the Rangers, this has not been the case. Head coach Gerard Gallant knows his team needs to play better despite the team’s record.

He was visibly irate following the team’s 4-3 win over the 10-0-1 Florida Panthers are Monday night at the Garden. The team built a 4-0 lead entering the third period, and then watched as the Panthers clawed back to within one goal with 40 seconds left in the contest.

The team’s recent three-game road trip last week saw the Blueshirts build multi-goal leads only to see them evaporate in each contest and eventually losing all three games.

Igor Can Be Better

It’s hard to believe that Igor Shesterkin can play better hockey than he has played this season. He holds a 6-2-2 record in 10 appearances with one shutout. He holds a 2.72 GAA along with a .931 save percentage.

Shesterkin spoke about his game and the shots he has faced to the New York Post’s Mollie Walker after practice on Thursday.

“I can play better” was his answer to the question asked if he feels he’s playing the best hockey of his career.

Breadman Struggles

Artemi Panarin has not had the start he was hoping for this year. Has 13 points but only two goals in 13 games this season.

Now that is pretty good for most players in the NHL, but for a superstar, it is sub-par. Panarin recognizes his struggle but knows he will play better as long as he stays in a good mood.

“Not really, tough start. But, right now, better. Most importantly, I’m in a good mood. That [gives] me more motivation,” when asked if his game is where he wants it to be right now.

Regarding his mood, Panarin has to deal with the ups and downs of a professional hockey player like every other athlete,

“Sometimes, but not really. Sometimes when everything is going right and [you’re like], ‘Okay, that’s normal.’ Sometimes you need to [feel] down to appreciate what you have, usually.”

Toughness Questioned Once Again

Shesterkin was bumped, hit, and flat-out ran into throughout the game on Monday which brought up the toughness of the current Rangers squad. Ryan Strome addressed the situation.

“I think a few guys had some words for — I think it was Duclair — when he went by the bench,” Ryan Strome said. “But, I mean, I thought our response — I thought our bottom six was really physical. You can’t just chase around a skill guy to fight, he’s not gonna fight anyone. [Ryan Reaves] was yelling at him and a few guys, so there’s only so much you can do. I think we’ve taken matters into our own hands and been physical. I’ve heard from a few people around the league that they think we’re harder to play against, and they’ve felt that. That’s a good sign. “I don’t mind our response. It’s not always about going on and fighting a guy, especially a guy like Duclair, I don’t think he’s going to drop the gloves. But I don’t think he meant to hurt anybody. We obviously got to watch out for our goalie, for sure.”

Holiday Time In NYC

A schedule change for the day after Thanksgiving now as the Rangers game at Boston is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on ABC television.

Foco has come out with their Rangers Holiday Collection and they have something for every Blueshirt fan.

Foco offers several different items fans may be interested in from a five-pack of shatterproof glass ball ornaments and other thematic pieces including an ornament depicting a New York Ranger’s recliner.

Other ideas include;

-Mittens and gloves.

-Rangers Nutcracker.

-Rangers slippers.


Rangers face Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers Friday night

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The New York Rangers look to continue their road point streak as they visit the Edmonton Oilers Friday night.

New York Rangers: 6-2-2 (14 Pts.

Edmonton Oilers: 8-1 (16 Pts.)

Venue: Rogers Place

Television: MSG Networks

The New York Rangers will need a strong game plan to keep the road points streak alive tonight as they face-off against the Oilers tonight in the first of two meetings this season.

They are through their first 10 games of the season, recording a 6-2-2 record for 14 points, their best start since the 2016-17 season.

Game Notes

Artemi Panarin is currently riding a three-game point-streak (1G-5A) and has recorded points in seven of 10 games this season. Panarin has secured a multi-point game in two of his last three games. Since Panarin entered the NHL in 2015-16, only six players have registered more multi-point games than Panarin’s 13.

The Rangers have earned at least one point in six of seven road games (5-1-1) this season. The Rangers are tied with Calgary for the most road wins in the NHL.

Tonight, New York will begin its second set of 15 back-to-backs. The Rangers are 0-1-1 in back-to-backs this season with the second game of the first set was an overtime loss to Dallas on October 14. Last season, New York had seven back-to-backs (2-5-0 first game, 4-3-0 second game). The Rangers had 13 back-to-back sets during the 2019-20 season and 11 back-to-back sets in both 2018-19 and 2017-18.

Oilers leading Scorers

Leon Draisaitl goals (9) and points (20).  

Ryan Nugent- Hopkins 13 assists.

Connor McDavid – 9 goals with 19 points.

Rangers Leaders

Points: A. Fox (11); A. Panarin (10); C. Kreider (8)

Goals: C. Kreider (7); A. Lafrenière (3); B. Goodrow (3)

Assists: A. Fox (9); A. Panarin (8); M. Zibanejad (6)

PP Goals: C. Kreider (5); A. Panarin (1); M. Zibanejad (1)

GW Goals: A. Lafrenière (2); B. Goodrow (1); A. Fox (1)

Special Teams

Edmonton PP: 46.4% (1st) PK: 88.9% (5th). 

New York PP: 19.4% (20th) PK: 86.1% (8th). 

Projected lines

During practice yesterday, the Rangers used the following line combinations;

Goodrow-Zibanejad-Kreider

Panarin-Strome-Kakko

Hunt-Chytil-Blais-

Lafreniere-Rooney-McKegg

Fox-Lindgren

Trouba-Miller

Nemeth- Tinordi

Georgiev

**Reaves will be a game time decision.

RANGERS VS. OILERS

All-Time: 33-33-9-3 (15-18-6-1 at home; 18-15-3-2 on the road)
The Rangers have one point in their last three games against the Oilers dating back to March 11, 2019. From Dec. 15, 2015-March 3, 2018, New York won five straight games against Edmonton.

Milestones

Tonight, Dryden Hunt is set to play his 100 career game in the NHL. He has split the previous 99 games between Florida (63 GP), Arizona (26 GP), and New York (10 GP). Hunt has recorded six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 99 games.

Chris Kreider

• 1 goal from passing Phil Esposito (184) for the 15th most goals scored in franchise history.

• 1 PPG from passing Andy Hebenton (63) for the 11 most in franchise history

Mika Zibanejad


• 1 goal from passing Bill Fairbairn (138) for 31 on Ranger all-time scoring list
• 1 SHG will tie in the franchise’s top 10 for most shorthanded goals by a Rangers player• 1 overtime goal away from tying Cecil Dillon, Butch Keeling, and Brian Leetch (7 each) for the most overtime goals by a player in Rangers history.

Kevin Lowe’s #4 to be raised to the rafters

The Oilers will retire Kevin Lowes number 4 in a pre-game ceremony. Lowe played four seasons with the Rangers, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 1994.

New York Rangers head to Vancouver for game Tuesday night

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The New York Rangers take the ice on Tuesday night to play against the Vancouver Canucks.

New York Rangers: 6-2-1 13 Pts
Vancouver Canucks: 3-5-1 7 Pts
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: MSG Networks, 10 P.M.

Following a win over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night, the New York Rangers visit the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday evening in the first of three straight games in Canada.

New York and Vancouver are playing for the first time since January 4, 2020, a 2-1 Canucks win in Vancouver.

In the game against the Kraken, the team was outshot 32-18 but leaned heavily on the shoulders of Igor Shesterkin until they came up with the game-winning goal in the third period.

Head coach Gallant understands that winning games is important, but the team needs to play better in limiting the opponents in shots against and creating more sustained pressure in the opponent’s end of the ice.

Projected Lineup:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Goodrow
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Blais
Rooney-McKegg-Hunt

Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Tinordi-Nemeth

Shesterkin

Nils Lundkvist will be a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

Gallant is deciding who plays based more on the opponents than how well or poorly a player is performing, at least when it comes to the rookie Lundkvist.

Asked if the decision to sub out Lundkvist in favor of Tinordi was based on who the Rangers are going to play rather than the player’s performance, Gallant alluded to the former.

“We always look at the other team,” Gallant said. “There’s no doubt for sure.”

Special Teams

Chris Kreider leads the NHL in power-play goals with five. The Blueshirts are 23rd in the league scoring at 16.1%. The penalty killing is where the team has excelled. The team is ranked 13th in the NHL with 83.3%.

Goalie Igor Shesterkin has started the season with a 5-1-1 record. His GAA is 1.70 along with a .947 save percentage and one shutout. In his last four road games, he has a 4-0 record with 0.99 GAA.

UPCOMING GAMES (All Times ET)

Nov. 5 – at EDM. – 9:30 PM

Nov. 6 – at CGY – 10:00 PM

Mon, Nov. 8 – vs. FLA – 7:00 PM

Sat. Nov. 13 – at CBJ – 7:00 PM

New York Rangers: The week ahead (November 1-7)

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The New York Rangers’ trip through the Pacific Northwest got off to a good start through a Halloween triumph over Seattle.

Last Week: 2-1-0
Season: 6-2-1 (3rd in Metropolitan)

Star of the Week: Adam Fox

Is it possible that Adam Fox is the best quarterback in New York? Mike White’s breakout performance at MetLife Stadium could cause some debate, but the defending hoister of the Norris Trophy has set up prime opportunities for his teammates. Fox had assists on each of the Rangers’ final three goals on Friday against Columbus, earning the primary helps on two of them. Fox also earned his second goal of the season on Sunday in Seattle, the sixth game-winner of his career.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday: @ Vancouver (10 p.m. ET, MSG)

In the midst of a seven-game homestand, the Canucks (3-5-1) are coming off three straight one-goal losses in regulation, the most recent being a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Meeting up with Vancouver sets up a reunion with former first-round representative J.T. Miller, who’s tied for third in the NHL with eight assists.

Friday: @ Edmonton (9:30 p.m. ET, MSG+)

The Oilers (6-1-0) have gotten off to a scorching hot start through familiar methods: scoring efforts from Connor McDavis and Leon Draisaitl, who have united for 29 points in the early going. They’ve been fed well by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who leads the NHL with 10 assists in the early going. The Rangers’ last visit to Edmonton was a wild get-together on New Year’s Eve 2019, as they nearly fought back from a 6-0 deficit through five consecutive goals before falling 7-5.

Saturday: @ Calgary (10 p.m. ET, MSG)

The Rangers have an instant opportunity to avenge last Monday’s listless 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Flames (6-1-1). They weren’t the only ones stymied by Calgary, who finished a dominant east coast swing with five straight wins before shutting out Philadelphia in Alberta on Saturday night. The Blueshirts’ visit is the penultimate game of a five-game homestand at Scotiabank Saddledome, as Nashville and Dallas will respectively stop by on Tuesday and Thursday. This will be the Rangers’ first back-to-back since they followed up an opening night loss in Washington with an overtime defeat at home against Dallas on Oct. 13-14.

They Said It

“It’s repetitive when we talk about it. We can sing his praises for days, but he keeps us in every game and you never feel like you’re out. It’s a tie game and he keeps it that way, and obviously, we get one. I can’t say enough good things about him…We don’t want to rely on him that heavy most games, but when we need him, he comes through. No one wants to have their goaltender bail them out most games.”-Adam Fox on Igor Shesterkin (via Joe Pantorno)

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Rangers win their 5th road game defeating Seattle 3-1

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rangers

The New York Rangers ended the month of October with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken.

The New York Rangers had no right winning last night’s game in Seattle. If not for the outstanding play of Igor Shesterkin, the Blueshirts would be wondering what went wrong instead of enjoying a 6-1-2 record.

New York finished the first month of the season with a 6-2-1 record and 13 points, five of those wins coming on the road. It marks the Rangers’ most points in the month of October since notching 16 (7-2-2) in the 2015-16 season. The Rangers have set a franchise record for the most road wins through the first nine games of a season and their five road wins in October are the most road wins in the month of October in franchise history.

Shesterkin made 31 saves in the remand 3-1 victory on Sunday night.  He earned his fifth win in his seventh start of the season. Shesterkin’s five wins are tied for the third-most in the NHL. On the road this season, Shesterkin is an NHL-best 4-0-0 with a .970 SV%.

The Rangers were outshot 32-18 for the game including an outstanding 13-2 in the second period. 

Kreider lights the lamp in the first period

Chris Kreider netted his seventh goal of the season scoring early into the first period in the Ranger’s first trip to Seattle since that city was awarded an expansion team. 

The Rangers took the ice in the second period flat. They were outplayed in all areas of the ice and if not for Shesterkin’s brilliance the score would have been worse at the conclusion of the second period than the reality of a 1-1 contest. 

Fox gets Blueshirt’s a 2-1 third period lead

A more even third period allowed the Rangers to grab their second lead of the game when Adam Fox took a pass from Artemi Panarin and wristed a shot past the Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer. 

It was Fox’s second goal of the season. 

Barclay Goodrow ended the night with an empty netter. 

Post Game Numbers

  • The Rangers have set a franchise record for the most road wins through the first nine games of a season and their five road wins in October are the most road wins in the month of October in franchise history.
  • The Rangers won their fifth-straight road game, tied for the 11th longest streak in franchise history and longest since winning nine straight from Jan. 16-Feb. 27, 2020. The Rangers have also tied Calgary for the most road wins in the NHL (5).
  • The Rangers went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill tonight and have killed off 21 of their last 22 penalties since October 16. In that span, New York’s 95.5 PK% leads the NHL.
  • The Rangers blocked a season-high 20 shots tonight. New York finished the first month of the season with 130 blocked shots, the sixth most in the NHL.
  • Artemi Panarin notched an assist to give him four points in his last two games and eight points in his last eight games.
  • Mika Zibanejad assisted on Goodrow’s empty-net goal, his sixth assist and seventh point of the year. Zibanejad was a plus-2 and a team-high 8-for-12 on faceoffs tonight (min. two draws).

Via NYR PR

The Rangers will visit the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin steals the show on Halloween

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Shesterkin kept his winning ways going off the ice, as the New York Rangers goalie pulled off a “royale” couples costume.

Igor Shesterkin has confirmed himself to be an Elvis man.

With the New York Rangers spending Halloween in Seattle for their first-ever matchup with the Kraken, the team celebrated the Halloween holiday this week through a costume party. The goaltender stole the show at the Blueshirts’ festivities dressed as Vincent Vega, John Travolta’s character from the 1994 film Pulp Fiction. Shesterkin’s girlfriend Anna Butusova got in on the fun as well, complementing Shesterkin by accompanying him as Mia Wallace, portrayed by Uma Thurman in the same film.

Butusova’s Instagram story depicts her and Shesterkin recreating an iconic scene from the Quentin Tarantino film where Travolta and Thurman partake in a dance contest, twisting to Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell”. Shesterkin himself shared a photo on his own page.

Shesterkin’s night at Jack Rabbit Slim’s was well-received on social media

Though Shesterkin chose to channel Travolta, his play has resembled the fixer Winston Wolf, Harvey Keitel’s character that helps Vincent and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) out of a major crisis in the latter stages of the film. He has amassed a 3-1-1 record in the early going, boasting a .917 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average. Since making his NHL debut in January 2020, Shesterkin has earned seven wins where he has tallied at least 40 saves, including a 2-1 overtime triumph in Toronto on Oct. 18,

The Rangers (4-2-1) return to action on Friday night at Madison Square Garden where they’ll battle the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET, MSG). It’ll be their last game before they embark on a four-game road trip through the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, beginning with the aforementioned Halloween showdown in Seattle.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags