Igor Shesterkin's teammates are not hiding their thoughts about where the New York Rangers would be without their No. 1 goalie.
Shesterkin has thrived for the Rangers (37-17-5) and has them in position to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 39 games (38 starts), the 26-year-old is 29-7-3 with a 2.07 goals-against average, leads the NHL with a .938 save percentage (minimum 10 games) and has three shutouts.
"I don't think we'd be in this spot in the season in the standings if he wasn't playing as well as he has been," Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow said. "We've relied on him a lot of nights and he's a rock back there for us."
A panel of 15 NHL.com writers voted for the winner of the Vezina Trophy at the three-quarter mark of the season, and Shesterkin is ahead in the race to be named the top goalie in the NHL by a wide margin; he received 71 points, including 13 first-place votes. Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames (44 points) and Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes (39) finished second and third in the voting, respectively, and were the only others to receive a first-place vote.
The Rangers lead the NHL with 25 wins when being outshot by their opponent, five more than the second-place Nashville Predators. Shesterkin has been in goal for 21 of those victories.
He allowed four goals in starts at the St. Louis Blues on March 10 and at the Dallas Stars two days later but still has allowed two goals or fewer nine times in 12 games since Jan. 30. Shesterkin has faced at least 30 shots 10 times since then.
Yet, New York is on track to play beyond its regular-season finale April 29. It's no secret Shesterkin is the biggest reason why.
"I don't know Igor that well, it's my first year with him," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "But he goes in there, he's focused, he plays his game and he's just confident in his hockey game. Every night he's just been outstanding."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers, 71 points (13 first-place votes); Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames, 44 (1); Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes, 39 (1); Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, 38; Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators, 21; Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins, 8; Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders, 2; Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars, 2.
