NY Rangers' Star Continues To Showcase His Elite Abilities Down the Stretch

Which star for the New York Rangers continues to be one of the top in the league at his position?

Mar 12, 2026; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin (31) is congratulated by defenseman Will Borgen (17) on his win against the Winnipeg Jets at the end of the third period at Canada Life Centre. / Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers suffered a tough loss on Saturday night against the Dallas Stars, and the team is now on a two-game losing streak. Even though they might not have been able to come away with the victory, they did hang with one of the best teams in the Western Conference. 

As the Rangers head down the stretch, the team has been playing much better of late. New York was a team that was certainly more talented than their record indicated early on, and they have been able to play better of late. 

Getting some key players healthy was certainly a significant part of that. Defenseman Adam Fox has been the difference-maker for the team when he is in the lineup on both ends of the ice, and his absence has negatively impacted the squad. 

While there will undoubtedly be some more changes made this offseason, the team should be pleased about how some of their young talent has performed. It certainly seems like with the cap space they have, they will be able to retool rather than rebuild and with a couple of additions, be a playoff contender again next year. 

Furthermore, New York does have the luxury of having one of the best goalies in the league in Igor Shesterkin. The talented veteran had a strong game against the Stars, but unfortunately, the one goal he allowed was enough to secure Dallas the win. 

Igor Shines in Tough Defeat

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Even though the Rangers might have lost, it certainly wasn’t because of the play of their goalie. In the defeat, Shesterkin saved 17 of the 18 shots that he faced, with the second goal for the Stars coming on an empty net. 

The talented goalie continues to prove this year that he is one of the best players at his position in the league, ranking near the top in some important categories. On Saturday, it was the 13th time this season that he allowed one or fewer goals in a game. Furthermore, he continues to be in the top five of goalies who have made at least 45 shots with a .912 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average. 

A game like Saturday is certainly one that New York would have liked to win behind that type of performance by Shesterkin. While the offense has been much better of late, they were shut down by a great defensive team in Dallas.