Igor Shesterkin’s injury and the all the possible ramifications hang over Rangers after loss to Capitals

WASHINGTON — It’s impossible to overstate the challenge that lies ahead for the Rangers should the injury Igor Shesterkin sustained during the second period of Friday night’s 3-1 loss to the Capitals sideline him for the foreseeable future. 

The Blueshirts would lose more than just the best goaltender in the NHL, who was off to an electric start to the season. Removing Shesterkin from the equation would be the equivalent of taking the spark plug out of a car engine: no ignition; nothing can run smoothly. 

He is, hands down, the most important part. 

What makes the potential loss so devastating is how much of a turbocharged, well-oiled machine the Rangers looked to be in the previous four games. 

Backstopping the Rangers in three of the four, Shesterkin looked automatic in net with 88 saves on 95 shots for a .926 save percentage. He’s made an impact on the scoresheet with the Rangers’ historic first goalie goal and added an assist, while also acting as an extra facilitator on the back end in all situations — a skill of his he’s used more than usual this season. 

Shesterkin helped provide the kind of start to the season that makes a team believe. 

In one swift motion, the 2026-27 campaign was clouded with uncertainty. 

The injury occurred during a second-period Capitals power play, when Shesterkin ventured far out of the crease to challenge an unmarked Pierre-Luc Dubois. 

The Capitals forward lost the puck while attempting to make a move around him, but Shesterkin scrambled to get back into the net and slid his right leg into the post hard. His leg appeared to awkwardly bend back during the sequence, prompting Shesterkin to immediately fall onto his back. 

The 30-year-old slammed his glove on the ice in apparent pain as a Rangers trainer made his way onto the ice. 

Without putting any weight on his right leg, Shesterkin had to be helped off the ice slowly. 

The Rangers already have one goalie on injured reserve in Joonas Korpisalo, who has yet to play a game after suffering a lower-body injury sometime during the start of the season. Korpisalo was slated to serve as Shesterkin’s backup out of training camp, but the Rangers ultimately had to recall rookie Dylan Garand less than a week after cutting him. 

Garand would have to assume starting responsibilities after beginning the season as the Rangers’ third-stringer. In his relief appearance Friday, Garand stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced in just his fifth career NHL game. 

The Rangers also will need to make a call to Hartford should Shesterkin be out for any period of time. Spencer Martin is not an option due to a lower-body injury that has him classified as day to day. 

Callum Tung, who at 22 has just 20 AHL games to his name, could be the Rangers backup Sunday at Madison Square Garden. 

Before losing their goaltender, special teams anchored the Rangers to a lead after the opening 20 minutes. The top power play opened the scoring, and the penalty kill stifled the Capitals’ lone man-advantage opportunity. 

The Blueshirts’ top power-play unit had only scored once through the first five games, but Alexis Lafrenière broke through on their second try Friday night. Lafrenière cut to the middle of the zone, did a little shake and bake and ripped the puck into the deep corner of the Capitals net for his fourth goal in the last two games and a 1-0 lead. 

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When rookie Cole Beaudoin took his second penalty in as many games, the Rangers PK limited Washington to just two shots on goal. 

It was a particularly tough game for Beaudoin, who was recalled and made his NHL debut Wednesday in the wake of Joe Veleno’s IR designation. The 20-year-old surrendered the puck to the middle of the Rangers zone late in the second period to hand Boone Jenner his first goal with the Capitals and the game-winner.