Goalies from New York’s two NHL teams are out-performing the rest of the league and giving opposing offenses headaches as the teams make their final pushes this season.
Igor Shesterkin, the 26-year-old Rangers goalie, boasts a .936 save percentage (the % of shots on goal that he saves), which leads the NHL among net-keepers that have played in over 5 games this season.
The Russian-born Shesterkin has played 43 games in-net for the Blue Shirts this year, and carries an impressive 31-9-3 record, with just under 200 goals allowed.
Most sports betting websites give Shesterkin the best odds to hoist the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the best goalkeeper each year.
A few miles away from Madison Square Garden, Islanders’ goalie Ilya Sorokin has been putting on a similarly impressive performance in the net at the team’s brand-new UBS Arena.
The 26-year-old Sorokin, who signed an entry-level contract with the Isles in 2020, has a save percentage of .927, which ranks second in the NHL, behind only his New York neighbor.
Carolina Hurricanes net-minder trails Sorokin slightly with a .926 save percentage.
The fantastic play from the goalies has aided the two New York teams, though it hasn’t propelled either to the top of Stanley Cup contention.
The Rangers currently sit at 41-19-5 record, which puts them third in the Metropolitan Division, behind the first-place Hurricanes and their rival Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders, meanwhile, have collected only 65 points this season, and are 19 points from catching the Washington Capitals, who currently hold the second Wild Card spot.
The Blue Shirts are nearly guaranteed a playoff berth, though oddsmakers from various sportsbooks have the Rangers near the bottom of contenders to win the Stanley Cup.
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