Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 of 39 shots and the New York Rangers got two goals from Jonny Brodzinksi in the third period to come away with an improbable 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday afternoon at MSG. The Canucks dominated for most of the game on the shot clock, outshooting the Rangers 39-12, but couldn’t get enough by Shesterkin to win the game. The Rangers, meanwhile, made their shots count, pumping three past Kevin Lankinen in the third – including an empty netter by former Canuck J.T. Miller – to snatch a crucial two points in their battle for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With the win, the Rangers pull into a tie with the Montreal Canadiens for that aforementioned wild card spot, while the Canucks remain a point back of the St. Louis Blues for their own bid for the playoffs in the West. Here is your game recap.
Game Recap
The first period was largely dominated by the Canucks, outshooting the Rangers 10-1 and out-chancing them 13-3, including an 8-1 advantage in the high-danger category. But the Canucks could only get one of those by Rangers’ goaltender Igor Shesterkin when Joshua popped in a rebound off a Quinn Hughes shot after he broke the ankles of Matt Rempe at the blue line. The primary assist by the Canucks’ captain was the 400th point of his career in only his 421st game – the seventh fastest in NHL history to do so among defencemen.
The Canucks threw another 14 shots at Shesterkin in the second, but couldn’t increase their lead. Instead, it was the Rangers, despite registering only five shots on goal, tying the game with Adam Fox’s sixth. He was able to get a stick on Braden Schneider’s wrist shot, putting the Rangers on the board. The period was full of penalties, scrums and 4-on-4, along with more shots and chances from the Canucks, but the score remained tied at one entering the second intermission with the Canucks still leading substantially on the shot clock 25-6.
The third period was an entertaining back-and-forth goal fest as both teams combined for six goals, with the Rangers ultimately prevailing 5-3 in a game they were outshot 39-12. The Rangers got two goals from Brodzinksi – his second being the game-winner – a lucky tip off a Canucks defender by K’Andre Miller, and finally J.T. Miller scoring against his former team, putting the icing on a 5-3 victory. The Canucks answered with Boeser’s fifth goal in three games and O’Connor with his 10th.
What’s Next for the Canucks & Rangers?
The Canucks will play the third leg of their six-game road trip on Monday against the New Jersey Devils, while the Rangers will head onto their own road trip, which starts on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
