The New York Rangers are riding a four-game winning streak into a road meeting with the Washington Capitals, and the biggest lineup note before puck drop is already settled: Igor Shesterkin is getting the start in net.
Head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed the decision, according to Mollie Walker of The New York Post on X. It will be Shesterkin’s fifth start of the season, and he’s been sharp from the jump.
Through four appearances, he has not given up more than two goals in any game and is 3-1-0. His only loss came on opening night against the Boston Bruins.
He also leads the League in both starts and wins, with four starts and three victories. Shesterkin has posted a .926 save percentage, a 1.75 goals-against average and 1.0 Goalie Point Shares, numbers that have helped steady the Rangers early.
The matchup also gives him another crack at a familiar opponent. This will be the 17th time he has faced Washington, and his career line against the Capitals sits at 10-5-1 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.62 goals-against average.
The Rangers and Capitals both held optional morning skates hours before the game, so there was no formal lineup reveal for the skaters. Still, the morning ice offered a useful snapshot of who was around.
According to Walker, 14 players took part in the optional session. The group included defensemen Scott Morrow, Braden Schneider and Alberts Smits, along with forwards J.T. Miller, Pavel Dorofeyev, Matt Rempe, Jaroslav Chmelar, Noah Laba, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Tye Karte, Will Cuylle, Cole Beaudoin, Eeli Tolvanen and Gabe Perreault.
Morrow has been a healthy scratch in all five games so far. Rempe has been scratched in four straight after dressing in the season opener.
The only regulars not on the ice were forwards Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere and defensemen Adam Fox, Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.
As for the rest of the lineup, the expectation is that New York sticks with what it has been using recently. That would keep Kartye on the second line with Miller and Dorofeyev, while Bjorkstrand would remain on the fourth line with Beaudoin and Chmelar.
The defensive pairs are also expected to stay the same, per the NHL.com projection.
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