Igor Shesterkin, Rangers Ripped for Blowout Game 4 Loss to Sidney Crosby, Penguins

Doric SamMay 10, 2022

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 05: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd from left) celebrates his second period goal against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers in Game Two of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 05, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The New York Rangers enjoyed a resurgent regular season, but their first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins has been nothing short of a disappointment.

New York put forth another subpar performance in Monday's 7-2 loss in Game 4 to fall into a 3-1 series deficit. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, in particular, struggled once again by finishing with 24 saves on 30 shots in the first two periods before getting pulled to start the third.

In three losses against Pittsburgh this series, Shesterkin has now allowed 14 total goals. It's a shocking run for the 26-year-old after he led the NHL in goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.935) during the regular season.

Fans voiced their displeasure with Shesterkin and the rest of the Rangers defense online:

Matt Vensel @mattvensel
Igor Shesterkin looks out of sorts again but the Pens have been dominant tonight. They have 14 shots from the slot through two periods, per <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportlogiq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportlogiq</a>. The Rangers have just three.

Chris Mack @THEChrisMack
Igor Shesterkin’s a Hart Trophy candidate, huh? Tell me more about him giving up ten goals in three periods. <a href="https://t.co/jRSkUvpG0t">pic.twitter.com/jRSkUvpG0t</a>

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B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce
Shesterkin on the bench to start the third 😬 That’s the second time he’s been pulled in the series... <a href="https://t.co/5ueI4oh60N">pic.twitter.com/5ueI4oh60N</a>

Dan Rosen @drosennhl
Fans here at PPG Paints Arena are chanting "We want Igor."

Mark Spillane @MarkSpillane_
The Rangers are so rattled, this is crazy. Igor Shesterkin played so well this year that he covered up stretches of average hockey from NYR... But he's not stopping a beach ball right now. Wow.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYRvsPIT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYRvsPIT</a>

Sean Gentille @seangentille
to folks trying to decide whether to blame Shesterkin or the rest of the Rangers - just pick both!

Dejan Kovacevic @Dejan_Kovacevic
Gerard Gallant had predicted earlier today that Igor Shesterkin would be 'great' tonight. As predictions go, this ranks right alongside ...

Taylor Haase @TaylorHaasePGH
Incredible the way the goaltending storyline has gone. All the talk was about how it's the Penguins' backup vs. the future Vezina-winner/potential Hart-winner. Now it's the Penguins' No. 3 in net and Igor has been chased twice.

Josh Yohe @JoshYohe_PGH
Igor has been yanked again. That’s 10 goals against in three periods in Pittsburgh in this series. Stunning.

Sportsnet Stats @SNstats
Rangers Igor Shesterkin is pulled in back-to-back starts for the first time in his NHL career. Tonight is his 100th career NHL start (reg. season + playoffs)

Shayna @hayyyshayyy
The Rangers /did/ improve defensively post-deadline, but you can't tell that at all against the Penguins. They're a disaster and Shesterkin can't steal games with literally zero support on either end.

Ryan Wilson @GunnerStaal
Rangers just can't keep the Penguins off the board. Not sure anybody saw the Penguins breaking their recent history of being goalie'd in the playoffs against Shesterkin

Greg Kaplan @BlueshirtsBreak
The New York Rangers waited until this series to play their absolute worst defensive hockey of the entire season.

Shesterkin entered this series as the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, but you wouldn't know it by watching him against Pittsburgh. It's been a steep fall from grace, but it also hasn't helped that the Rangers defense has not done its goalie any favors.

New York will need a substantial shift in momentum if it hopes to avoid being eliminated on its home ice in Wednesday's Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.