Shesterkin's scoring prowess, puck-handling ability has Rangers off to hot start

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Igor Shesterkin's mask hid his smile, his laugh, his enjoyment of the moment.

Shesterkin went back to retrieve a puck behind his net, got it on his stick, and as he looked for an outlet to aid the breakout a loud enough portion of New York Rangers fans at Madison Square Garden began screaming "SHOOOOOOT."

It didn't matter that it was the first period and Utah Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka was in the opposite net. Shesterkin scored the first goalie goal in Rangers history on Thursday and these fans wanted more.

"It's pretty fun when I was hearing that that," Shesterkin said following practice Monday. "It's part of the game, part of the show. We spoke a little bit about it in the locker room and everyone was laughing as well."

The funny thing is Shesterkin tried to score again with 58 seconds remaining in the game and Vejmelka pulled for an extra skater. 

He got the puck behind his net and lifted a shot down the middle of the ice, sending it on a path to Utah's net but defenseman Mikhail Sergachev retreated and stopped the puck just above the top of the circles.

All six of Utah's skaters went toward the middle of the ice when Shesterkin got the puck.

Sergachev was credited with a blocked shot.

"Probably they watched highlights before the game they told everyone you need to be careful when we pull the goalie," Shesterkin said, laughing and smiling again.

Shesterkin has reason to be happy one week into the season. 

He was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday after going 2-1-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average, .934 save percentage, the 21st goalie goal in NHL history and, yes, an assist on Eeli Tolvanen's empty-net goal against the Mammoth.

Shesterkin will carry his two-game winning streak and two-game point streak into the Garden on Tuesday when he will be in net against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN).

He has a chance to match the NHL record for consecutive games with a point by a goalie. Hall of Famers Henrik Lundqvist (2010-11), Ed Belfour (2001-02) and Tom Barrasso (1984-85, 1988-89) each had three-game point streaks.

"We made a joke after saying he's still in the race for league lead in points," Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi said. "He's great."

Shesterkin has long been known as one of the League's best puck-handling goalies. He traces his ability to play the puck back to when he was 6 years old and came to the realization that he didn't skate well enough to be a forward.

"I came to hockey at 6 years old and most of the guys were already skating pretty well so that's why I became a goalie, but I kept trying to play with a stick all the time," Shesterkin said. "When coaches tried to show the next exercise for players, the next shooting drills, I always played with the puck, always tried to do something, always tried to shoot it in the net."

He scored his only other goal when he was 19 years old playing for Spartak in Russia's top junior league.

"It was a shot from the red line to my glove," Shesterkin said. "I just make a save, put the puck down and make a shot."

Scoring aside, Shesterkin recognized the importance of his puck-handling skills when he was a younger player in Russia. He understands the value he brings in that area better now in the NHL, where aggressive forechecking is prevalent and clean breakouts are key to starting the offense.

"I just try to help my defensemen so they don't get an extra hit maybe in the corner," Shesterkin said. "If I have a chance to go behind the net and make their life easier I will, of course."

It does.

"It's awesome," Durzi said. "My job is to hold our blue line and make it as hard as possible on their top players to get in, and knowing that if they have a bad dump-in or I make it hard on them and the puck gets to him we're probably getting out, that's a strength."

Durzi said Shesterkin's ability to play the puck allows the Rangers defensemen to be more aggressive in holding the blue line. They know getting in the face of the forwards could force a softer dump in that could lead to Shesterkin having a chance to play the puck.

"It gives the 'D' a bit more time to go back," Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said. "It gives him a chance to make a play. He's always been good at that. He can hit the middle guy, he can hit a wing. He's so good at playing the puck. If teams don't enter in with possession or they have a soft rim and he gets a touch it's a free out, a free reset for us. That's what it looked like (Sunday) night. I feel like every time he touched it they were out (of the zone)."

That's how Shesterkin nearly scored his second goal in as many games. 

It's how he got his assist on Tolvanen's empty-net goal.

The Rangers' pressured the entry at the blue line despite being down a man, forcing Nick Schmaltz to send a soft rim around the boards. Shesterkin played the puck behind his net and as he did four Utah skaters went toward the middle of the attacking zone and the two that were back also squeezed in. 

With six Mammoth players in his way and no shot to take, despite the fans urging him to shoot, Shesterkin used the space on the wings to play the puck up the wall to Will Cuylle, setting up a breakout to Tolvanen, who scored into the empty net.

"Yeah, they're all in the guts of the ice and he throws it up the wall," Schneider said, "and now he's got one and one in two starts."

And a fanbase imploring him for more.

"We play for the fans," Shesterkin said. "I will keep trying."