Red Wings-Rangers quick take: Shesterkin, Rangers out-stop, out-work Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings faced off against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, kicking off a two-game series against the “Blueshirts.”

On Monday night, the Red Wings were frustrated by Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 31 of 32 shots against, some in Hasekian fashion, they lost more faceoffs than they should have won, and the Rangers were opportunistic, sneaky and plain better in terms of blocking shots and passes in their end, and scoring in Detroit’s end.

Dylan Larkin’s gorgeous goal with only 1.3 seconds left in the first was the lone highlight as Detroit lost 4-1 to the Rangers, whose Miika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin, who had 3 assists.

Detroit will try to split the home-and-home series on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena (7 PM EDT start on ESPN+/Hulu)

The Red Wings made the long walk out from their locker room to the MSG ice surface around 6:30 PM…

FYI:

I’d imagine that the Rangers have a long walk as well. MSG may have had a billion-dollar renovation recently, but it’s not designed for great creature comforts:

The Rangers lined up as follows…

There’s always some history involved in going to MSG, and the retiring Sam Rosen has some history with Mickey Redmond:

And here is the Red Wings’ lineup:

The starters and scratches were as follows:

In the 1st period, well, we found out that the Rangers game was not the “first option” for many New York City-area fans…

And at 7:09 PM, the puck hit the ice on bouncy MSG ice, the Red Wings’ Seider chipped it in, and Tarasenko, Compher and Raymond tried to cycle, Johansson came out to hold the blueline, and the Rangers chipped and Lyon chased it down.

Larkin, DeBrincat and Kane tried to feed Kane in the slot, it did not work, and Reilly Smith and the Rangers went the other way, but Edvinsson cleared the zone;

Then Holl took a rim-around and reversed it so that the Wings could chip and change.

1:10 into the 1st, the Wings had rolled three of four lines.

The Red Wings and Rangers traded some chances but no shots for the first 2:30, and Edstrom took the first Rangers’ shot a couple of seconds later;

Veleno fired a long one on Shesterkin and it did not facilitate any zone time…

And the first couple of minutes were just kind of clunky. The teams were feeling each other out, and chipping and chasing more than anything else. It was “careful hockey.”

The Red Wings’ first offensive chance came when Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane fed Alex DeBrincat back-door, but Shesterkin got a toe on it;

Chris Kreider raced the other way and Justin Holl shut him down;

Six minutes in, the Rangers and Red Wings were racing along, going up and down the ice, and the shots were 3-1 Detroit…

Thankfully, Chytil and Cuylle were offside as the two raced in on a 2-on-1, and we hit the first TV timeout at 6:21 of the 1st.

When play resumed, the Rangers cycled well in the Wings’ zone, but Detroit emerged chasing the puck down the ice to be stopped by a charging-out Igor Shesterkin, who chipped the puck away from an on-rushing Lucas Raymond.

At 7:16, Lafreniere gave Dylan Larkin a high stick, and Detroit headed to its first power play.

The Rangers won the first faceoff and cleared the puck down the ice, so Seider raced up to center ice, reversed it for Kane and at the blueline, Moritz Seider got tied up with Mika Zibanejad, and the Red Wings were treated to 1:40 of 4-on-4 time due to an interference minor.

On the 4-on-4, Larkin made a tremendous back-check to stifle a Rangers scoring chance, working with Raymond, but Zibanejad and Kreider threatened as well, Larkin fed Raymond in tight, he deked around Adam Fox, and SHESTERKIN MADE A TREMENDOUS STOP POINT BLANK to keep the game at zeroes.

Kane and Compher worked against Trocheck and Panarin as the 4-on-4 became a PK, and Lyon made a good stop on Lafreniere….

Rasmussen kicked the puck vs. 4 Rangers deep in the NYR zone to kill the penalty…

And Seider and the Wings had to be careful as the Rangers surged forth, but fumbled their advantage.

And Andrew Copp found Alex DeBrincat for another good shot on Shesterkin that was gobbled up and held at 10:19.

When play resumed after the TV timeout, the Compher line worked with Johansson and Maatta, forced the Rangers offside…

A little later, the Rangers got to cycling in the Red Wings’ zone, and Lafreniere fired a flipper of a shot from a Panarin pass under Alex Lyon, who may have got caught moving, and the Rangers led 1-0 at 11:45.

1-0 NYR. Lafreniere from Panarin and Zach Jones.

Worse, at 12:44, Austin Watson jabbed at a Rangers defenseman and got caught hooking himm. 12:44 1st, PP #2 for the Rangers.

On the PK, Lyon made a big stop off the bat on Zibanejad, the Rangers cycled vs. Chiarot, Seider, Larkin and Raymond, Panarin fed Trocheck for a massive stop by Lyon as a bumper chance, Seider blocked Zibanejad, then Trocheck, and cleared the zone himself;

Seider was very much so authoritative in battling Trocheck, Kreider and Panarin, but the Rangers’ defense fired pucks at Lyon as well as Fox and Panarin ripped bombs toward the Wings’ goal, Motte, Copp, Seider and Chiarot did their best, and the Wings killed the penalty.

Meanwhile…

As the period began to wind down, Copp got a good chance on Shesterkin, which was stopped, and Berggren was pulled down by Adam Edstrom, sans call…

Zibanejad fed Kreider in the slot negating an icing call against Seider and Chiarot, and they almost scored, those Rangers…

The Wings went the other way and Kane, DeBrincat and Larkin cycled well off a Larkin shot that was retrieved by Holl…

Lucas Raymond did a fine job of firing a puck off Shesterkin, but he was stopped by the Russian goaltender, and Raymond lost a skate blade and fell, having to be taken back to the bench for a blade change…

Lyon made a good stop on Cuylle in tight with about 1:15 left…

Lafreniere tried to score off the top of the net, then the defenseman Mancini raced in himself and ripped a shot wide of Lyon…

And the first period ended with Holl centering a pass to LARKIN WHO SCORED THE GAME TYING GOAL WITH 1.3 seconds left IN THE FIRST PERIOD, in the slot.

Detroit tied the game 1-1 at 19:58, thanks to Larkin, who was assisted by Holl and Kane.

In the 2nd period, the Red Wings chipped and chased off the opening faceoff, but the Rangers went right back the other way, and Alex Lyon had to make a big glove stop off the rush.

A minute and one second in, Lyon played the puck around the boards, the Rangers regained control, and Fox fed Smith, Fox reversed to Miller, and Kane swiped the puck, up coame Seider to Larkin for DeBbrincat and he was stopped by Shesterkin, and DeBrincat drew a penalty.

On the 6-on-5, Detroit cycled well, with Raymond, Kane, Larkin, Seider and DeBrincat cycling, Detroit really did a nice job of sustaining pressure for a good 45 seconds, and the Rangers headed to the penalty box as Chris Kreider sat for a hook at 2:23.

The Wings actually won the opening faceoff, and Seider, Raymond, Compher, Kane and Larkin ground out a chance in front that Shesterkin stifled…

Larkin won another draw and Kane cycled for Compher who jammed the puck and Kane did as well but Shesterkin made some more tremendous stops as well…

When the Rangers won the 3rd PP draw, the Wings regrouped, Seider dropped for Raymond who charged through the middle, Kane and Compher dropped for Seider, Raymond worked the puck to Larkin and back, and Raymond fired a high shot on Shesterkin that was stopped.

The 2nd PP unit slowly came over the boards, with Compher, Kane, Seider and DeBrincat working with Raymond, and Shesterkin made a TREMENDOUS stop on a high-sticked jab by Raymond…

The Rangers got their own rush and Trocheck missed a chance from Panarin as the PK expired…

The linesmen were really picky about faceoffs, waiving several players out of the circle for seemingly minor “cheating” infractions, and that was as noticeable as the bad ice on MSG…

Sadly, Ben Chiarot got caught hooking a Ranger, he let his stick go when Panarin raced by him, and Chiarot sat at 5:26 for a very, very mediocre penalty.

The Rangers won the opening faceoff and Lyon stopped a Zibanejad one-timer, Larkin tied up the subsequent faceoff and Compher cleared the zone…

But the Rangers’ power play was incredibly dangerous as Panarin, Trocheck, Kreider, Zibanejad and Fox worked together, Lyon stopped a tip by Kreider, Panarin cycled for Fox, and the Red Wings’ Larkin, Compher, Seider and Maatta worked well…

Maatta walked in and blasted a heavy shot in on Shesterkin on the PK as Larkin served as a pass recipient that was never found…

Lyon also made a tremendous stop on Reilly Smith after the Rangers’ PP ended…

At 8:23 of the 2nd, Jonny Brodzinski got called for hooking Lucas Raymond, and the Red Wings headed to their 3rd power play.

On the power play, the Wings went with the first unit of Larkin, Raymond, Compher, Kane and Seider, they won the first faceoff, but Kane blubbed a pass and the Rangersr cleared…

Seider fed Kane and the Wings walked into the zone, Larkin fed Compher to the point for Seider, to Larkin, down low it went, back to Seider, he chipped a shot and Shesterkin made a stop with a Compher screen.

Larkin got kicked out of the second faceoff, Compher could not win it, and the Rangers cleared the zone…

Raymond and Kane walked to Larkin whose shot was blocked, and Trocheck cleared the zone…

The 2nd unit came out and Tarasenko fed DeBrincat, Berggren battled and Rasmussen and Chiarot helped, but the Rangers broke out and Fox fed Schneider, who sent a shot wide and high of Lyon…

Detroit set up with only 20 left in the PP and Chiarot fed Tarasenko whose lateral pass was blocked, Chiarot and Berggren went wide, Tarasenko jabbed Shesterkin, and he blocker-hand-gloved the puck.

Motte, Watson and Veleno got a rare shift some 10:30 into the 2nd period and did OK, cycling in the offensive zone, getting checked back into their zone, and reversing the flow;

Berggren stole the puck and walked into the slot, was stopped, and Edvinsson sent the rebound wide;

Going the other way, Trocheck sent a puck to Panarin in front, and he was blocked;

Rasmussen, Berggren and Copp almost scored again on the next foray into the offensive zone 12:00 into the 2nd…

Chiarot and Maatta got some help from DeBrincat on the next rush, and after Kane stole the puck, DeBrincat ripped a heavy shot high and wide…

Compher, Tarasenko and Raymond got an actual, even-strength shift together some 13:14 into the 2nd, and Raymond fed Compher but he was tripped, Tarasenko and Compher cycled to Edvinsson, Holl battled deep and Tarasenko found Edvinsson again, he deked and dangled in and Raymond STOLE the loose puck and was unable to shoot due to a hook…

Holl and Edvinsson looked GREAT together offensively, and they were sound defensively.

Motte walked in and fired an easy bomb in on Shesterkin at 14:50…

And when play resumed after the TV timeout, Lyon had to make a couple of good stops, first off Chiarot and then Cuylle…Yes, Chiarot, who moved the puck back too fast…

Cuylle was stifled with Kakko in front by Lyon and Seider as the Rangers sort of pushed the pace back at Detroit;

DeBrincat raced up the LW, over-skated the puck, and negated a 3-on-2…

And Lyon made a tremendous glove save on Vincent Trocheck all alone in front of the goal with 3:35 left in the 2nd.

But Justin Holl accidentally high-sticked Edstrom and at 16:57, the surging Rangers headed to the power play.

Copp, Motte, Seider and Chiarot began PK #4, and The Rangers won the faceoff, Kreider tipped the puck in past Seider and Lyon as he got behind both Seider and Chiarot, and Zibanejad fed Kreider’s feet, tip tip tiparoo, it was 2-1 Rangers.

The New York Rangers made it 2-1 at 17:05. Kreider from Zibanejad and Panarin, PPG.

Detroit attempted to regroup as Raymond fed COMPHER AND IN FRONT OF THE NET, SHESTERKIN STOPPED #37 with a gobble gobble glove save.

The period wound down as Detroit continued to press, and Maatta, Tarasenko, Raymond and Compher raced up the ice and did absolutely nothing ad Tarasenko fired a pass wide of Maatta.

The Red Wings survived the final 30 seconds of the period, but they went into the 3rd period down 2-1, mostly because the Rangers shanked a shot wide and the time expired when Zibanejad sent puck through Lyon with 0.00 left in the period.

In the 3rd period, Compher, Raymond and Tarasenko lost the opening draw, but the Rangers iced the puck.

Off the icing, Compher and Raymond worked the puck to Johansson and he fired a puck off a stick into the netting out of play, but it was a lovely deke and dangle by Johansson.

For some reason, Alex Lyon was called for “delay of game” for accidentally knocking the net off at 39 seconds, and the Rangers’ power play went back to work.

Fox, Panarin, Zibanejad, Trocheck and Kreider worked the perimeter vs. Seider, Chiarot, Larkin and Compher, and Seider made a tremendous block on Trocheck…

Panarin was stopped by Lyon…and Zibanejad was stopped by Lyon.

Detroit then won a faceoff in the defensive zone, a rarity for the game, and cleared the zone…

The Rangers’ second unit came out and Kakko, Chytil, Miller, Smith and Lafreniere worked opposite Motte, Copp, Maatta and Holl, who killed the penalty.

Veleno then worked with Tarasenko and Maatta and Johansson, the Rangers worked the puck up ice and Maatta of all people provided some forechecking pressure to afford the Red Wings a change.

Seider then returned to the ice and made some strong defensive plays alongside Chiarot.

The Rangers’ forwards were really dancing out there, and Detroit was doing its best to just kind of hang on and try to get an opportunistic second goal to tie the game.

Instead, Reilly Smith took the puck off a draw won in the offensive zone by Zibanejad and he roofed the puck over Lyon to make it 3-1 at 4:51 of the 2nd.

Smith scored from Zibanejad at 4:51 to make it 3-1 Rangers.

Tarasenko sent a shot off the goalpost and another off Shesterkin on the bump-up shift;

Detroit pushed back for sure, with Kane trying to fire a puck past Shesterkin, et. al., but the Rangers were the team with the big push offensively, and Detroit seemed to stop at the center ice red line and just accept their fate as backchecking at times.

Somewhat thankfully, Zibanejad got called for a stupid trip that was not his fault at 8:07, affording Detroit a much-needed power play.

On the power play, Detroit lost the opening faceoff again, Seider, Compher, Raymond, Larkin and Kane worked together to regroup and re-set, and Kane did send a sneaky shot just over Shesterkin and wide, the Wings retained possession, and cycled well, with Larkin shanking a shot wide of the net, Kane feeding Larkin when the puck was tipped out of play…

And the second offensive zone faceoff was won by Rasmussen, as was the third, so Tarasenko put a puck in and out of the glove of Shesterkin…

And one of the referees fell over and was injured, so play stopped with 51 seconds left in the PP.

So the Wings earned another offensive zone faceoff with the first unit back out, Larkin faced off vs. Trocheck and won it via Kane, Larkin fed Kane behind the net, and Raymond worked with Seider, who lost the puck to Smith.

Detroit worked the puck back into the offensive zone and the Rangers’ sticks were in passing and shooting lanes, so pucks were bouncing out of play instead of toward the net.

The power play expired and there was 9:51 remaining in the game.

Shesterkin was making the occasional stop as well, and he had Simon Edvinsson shaking his head with 9:31 remaining in the game.

Veleno, Tarasenko and DeBrincat earned a shift together to try and generate more offense, and Veleno worked the pace pretty well, but DeBrincat shanked a pass wide and Maatta had to bail him out…

The Rangers really worked the hell out of the newly-formed Raymond-Larkin-Kane line as well, with Lyon making some good stops and the Red Wings getting walked around and skated through.

Things did not look good in terms of mounting a comeback.

Berggren also shanked the puck off the heel of his stick on a breakaway, emphasizing the kind of puck luck that the Red Wings had all game long.

At least Olli Maatta had a really good game…

Raymond, Larkin and Kane worked quite well opposite the Rangers’ fourth line, but Seider could not generate a shot, Kane fed Raymond and he fired into a blocking stick, etc. etc.

With 5:50 remaining, the tension was building as the Rangers’ momentum was building.

At least when Andrew Copp was tossed from a faceoff, and Joe Veleno lost the draw, Detroit was blocking shots and working hard to generate zone time in the Rangers’ zone.

But Berggren lost another physical battle, up came the Rangers, and Trocheck, Lafreniere and Panarin pushed Detroit back…

With 4:35 left Larkin and Kane were both blocked off by the Rangers’ defense, albeit with a high stick…

And the Red Wings lost the offensive zone faceoff, the Rangers won their offensive zone faceoff, and DeBrincat, Compher and Tarasenko at least generated a shot that Shesterkin stopped…

And time ticked down.

Motte, Veleno and Berggren were battling deep in the Rangers’ zone when Chiarot joined them deep, and Motte fired a point shot wide…Holl helped at center, worked the puck deep and Berggren shanked a shot off the side of the net…

Motte then knocked a puck out of the air and Shesterkin gobbled it up.

With 2:44 left in the 3rd, Lyon was pulled to the bench for a 6th attacker.

Larkin won the draw and Seider fired a shot right into Shesterkin’s glove.

On the second faceoff, Trocheck won it, the Rangers got the puck out to center ice and Carrick was blocked once, twice, and Trocheck fired one wide…

So Kane, Larkin, DeBrincat, Seider, Raymond and Compher ground out the puck as best they could, Kane stopped DeBrincat and the Rangers fired another one wide as Reilly Smith got cute…

The fans demanded an empty-netter and they got one.

Panarin found Zibanejad and he made it 4-1 with 1:22 remaining in the 3rd.

The Rangers would win by a 4-1 margin thanks to a Zibanejad empty-netter from Panarin and Trouba at 18:38 of the 3rd.

In the final minutes of play, Veleno, Watson and Berggren came out for a bit, with Maatta and Johansson, Motte replaced Berggren, Holl Johansson…

And the clock wound down to zeroes with the Red Wings having surrendered 4 goals.

Statistics: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:

Published by

George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!

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