by Murat Karul
Igor Shesterkin delivered a stellar performance, stopping 30 shots to secure his first shutout of the season as the New York Rangers claimed a 2-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night, extending their winning streak to five games.
The Rangers, now 6-1-1 in their last eight games, saw goals from Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey. Cuylle broke the deadlock with 7:29 left in the second period, sliding a loose puck past Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom for his ninth goal of the season. Vesey sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final 19 seconds of the third period, marking his 12th goal of the season.
Shesterkin’s standout late-game save included swatting away a high shot from Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson three minutes into the third period. The Rangers struggled on the power play, going 0 for 3 and extending their slump to 0 for 17 over the last seven games.
Markstrom, despite making 29 saves, couldn’t prevent the Flames from snapping a four-game win streak. He denied key scoring opportunities for Rangers forwards Vincent Trocheck and Blake Wheeler, showcasing his skills throughout the game.
Looking ahead, the Flames will return home to face San Jose on Thursday night, while the Rangers are set to host Montreal on Thursday night.
