Igor Shesterkin gets another shutout as Rangers blank Hurricanes

Field Level Media|published: Tue 12th March, 21:52 2024

Mar 12, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jesper Fast (71) shot attempt is stopped by New York Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56) and goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period at PNC Arena. credits: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves for his second shutout in a row as the New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 on Tuesday night in a battle of the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division in Raleigh, N.C.

Adam Fox had the New York goal in the final seconds of the first period, allowing the Rangers to stretch their winning streak to three games.

Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 23 shots, but the Hurricanes saw a three-game winning streak come to an end.

Carolina was blanked for the second time this season just two nights after registering a season-high seven goals against the Calgary Flames. The Hurricanes, who went the final two minutes with an extra skater, were also shutout victims on Oct. 24 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Rangers extended their lead over second-place Carolina to six points in the division.

Shesterkin, who has three shutouts this season, also recorded a shutout on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.

There was a furious stretch early in the third period. Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov blasted a shot that was deflected by Shesterkin and bounced off the post. Shortly after, the Rangers had a two-on-one at the other end, with Kochetkov stopping ex- Hurricanes forward Vincent Trochek's tip-in shot.

Forward Jake Guentzel, a trade acquisition last week from the Pittsburgh Penguins, made his debut with the Hurricanes. He had been out since Feb. 14 with an upper-body injury.

Fox's goal came with eight seconds to play in the first period. He fired a shot from the right side, with the puck going off Carolina defenseman Brady Skjei's skate and under Kochetkov's pads. It marked the 11th goal of the season for Fox, who hadn't scored in a road game since Jan. 23.

New York was held to five second-period shots.

The Rangers were without rookie forward Matt Rempe, who was handed a four-game suspension by the NHL on Tuesday afternoon because of an elbow to the head of the New Jersey Devils' Jonas Siegenthaler on Monday night.

—Field Level Media

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