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Rangers get taste of their own medicine and Hellebuyck'd in 4-1 loss to WPG |
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The Rangers were Hellebuyck'd. On a night where New York outshot Winnipeg 51-21, Connor Hellebuyck made 50 saves in helping the Jets to a 4-1 win. On the flip side, Igor Shesterkin's struggles continued, as he now has allowed three goals or more in six straight starts.
Game recap:
Lines:
Kreider - Zib - Vesey
Panarin - Trocheck - Tarasenko
Laf - Chytil - Kakko
Motte - Leschyshyn - Goodrow
A few thoughts:
1) Shesterkin is clearly fighting it. Either he is off his angles or losing sight of the puck or both, but several of the goals during this streak look to be ones he normally stops. Maybe we have become spoiled. But since the All-Star break. Shesterkin has not looked the same between the pipes.
The first goal allowed came with a slight screen in front. On the second, Mark Scheifele's first of two in the game, Igor looked like he didn't see the puck in front. Kyle Connor made it 3-0 on a play where Igor got caught deep and left the top shelf open as he went post to post. Winnipeg's fourth goal was a nice backhand by Scheifele, but Igor looked to be out of position and off his angle.
This is more concerning to me. Shesterkin has a responsibility to speak to the media. If he likes the benefits he receives when he plays well, then he has to take his medicine when he struggles.
I would start Jaroslav Halak on Wednesday against Detroit. Let Shesterkin work with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire to find his mojo. The good news is that Halak is 7-0-1 in his last eight and has actually outplayed Igor lately, so the switch would be a smart one.
2) The Kid Line did not have a good night, going a combined minus-eight, on ice for three goals against, though they did have eight shots on net. Offense was not the issue, as Helly made a handful of spectacular saves. Winnipeg did a great job of blocking shooting lanes on the penalty kill, and even when New York adjusted, putting two men down low, Helly stopped nearly everything on net.
I thought tonight was Jake Leschyshyn's best game as a Ranger. Tyler Motte and Barclay Goodrow were solid as well, making the fourth line a decent trio. The other two lines had their moments, enough so that changes should not be made Wednesday.
3) Gallant switched defensive pairs in the third. He played Niko Mikkola and Jacob Trouba together. Switched K'Andre Miller - who had a rough game defensively and was a bit lazy on the last goal of the contest - to skate with Adam Fox and paired Braden Schneider with Ryan Lindgren. I don't think he will use these combinations Wednesday but you never know.
4) Monday was the third straight game New York started slow. Friday, the Rangers rallied from 4-1 down after one to notch the win in a shootout. Down 2-0 Saturday, the Blueshirts were able to tie the contest to earn a point before falling in overtime. Monday, New York was not that fortunate. Play with fire enough times and you will get burned.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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