Daily Report – 4/1/26

Rangers

This Friday is the second anniversary of the famous line brawl that occurred between the Rangers and Devils in 2024. Highlighted by heavyweight matchups featuring the likes of Matt Rempe and K’Andre Miller, it took just two seconds for the Rangers and Devils to engage in five fights simultaneously.

But that night, something was missing. A sixth fight. A goalie fight.

Yesterday, that void was filled.

Halfway through the third period of last night’s game, Igor Shesterkin took a hard hit in his crease by Devils forward Paul Cotter, so his teammates stood up for their beloved netminder. As Adam Fox laid a hit on Cotter, Vladislav Gavrikov and JT Miller joined him. Shesterkin then entered the scrum behind his net and clubbed Cotter with his glove hand, provoking New Jersey’s goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

Markstrom angrily charged down the Garden ice toward Shesterkin, who accepted the challenge.

“I was just like, ‘Ooh, how huge he is,’” Shesterkin remarked.

The keepers began dueling, exchanging several punches before Shesterkin buried Markstrom to the ice. I counted 18 punches thrown by Shesterkin and five by Markstrom.

The Garden erupted.

“I’d like to thank my boxing coach,” Shesterkin said.

I have written about how, despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the Rangers are playing with energy and purpose. Sure, they were motivated to avoid getting swept by their cross-river rivals. But it felt like there was something more.

After all, it’s crazy to believe a team that has suffered seven home shutout losses this season leads the NHL in goal scoring since March 2.

Before the game, Mika Zibanejad received the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, in honor of the late NYPD detective McDonald. It was Zibanejad’s third time winning the award, and his first time since 2020.

In yesterday’s game, Zibanejad scored the Rangers’ final goal on a net-cutting wrist shot, hammering home a perfect pass from Gabe Perreault.

I give all the credit in the world to Zibanejad, who struggled mightily last year and transformed back into the center we all know and love. But last night, it was Shesterkin who went “above and beyond the call of duty.”

“If you were to tell me there was gonna be a goalie fight, I would have called you a liar,” Rangers captain Miller said. “We needed that, just like little things like that. I mean, we’ve been playing well. Since the [Olympic] Break, we’ve liked a lot of our games, especially going back to the Toronto game [on March 25]. We felt we deserved better there, so what is that, four in a row that we’ve liked now, especially at home.

“There hasn’t been, unfortunately, a lot to cheer about this year, so to have a moment like that, it’s really special, and I’m glad the fans got it. But I’m happy for Igor.”

After Sunday’s win over Florida, head coach Mike Sullivan raved about the importance of Shesterkin’s consistency in net. Regardless of how his team has fared this season, he has been nothing short of excellent. There is a reason Shesterkin is the highest-paid goalie in NHL history, and when the Rangers return to the postseason – hopefully soon – we will all remember why.

“[Shesterkin] reminds me a lot of [Henrik] Lundqvist,” Sullivan said. “That was my observation of watching Hank. He was a fierce competitor, and his practice habits were off the charts. I think, in a lot of ways, he personifies what we want to become.”

But Lundqvist never got into a goalie fight. In 1998, Dan Cloutier was the last Ranger netminder to do so.

“We’re getting some new faces that are getting an opportunity, and they’re playing really well and providing a spark to our team,” Miller said. “And when you get a moment like [Shesterkin] had today for us, it feels good. We want to keep playing, finish strong, and have something to feel good about going into next season.”

There it is. This is why the Rangers are playing with purpose. They are doing it for the kids. For Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue. For Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora. For Dylan Garand and Alexis Lafrenière.

For the future.

Regarding Lafrenière, who netted a nasty power-play assist on yesterday’s game-winning goal, the former first-overall pick has achieved his first career 30-assist season. Since Artemi Panarin was traded, Lafrenière has stepped up his game by demonstrating a more physical offensive style. He is on pace for a career-high 58 points.

“He’s embracing the idea of getting inside and playing more in the interior of the rink, in particular in the offensive zone,” Sullivan said. “He’s hanging on pucks down low. He’s creating opportunities for his linemates when he goes low to high. He’s getting underneath defensemen, and his willingness to get inside, I think, has given him an opportunity to score some goals in different ways.”

The Rangers have won three straight games, all at home. They will look to win their fourth tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens (7 PM, 6 PM CDT – MSG, Gotham Sports).

Cover Image Courtesy: Mollie Walker, New York Post