In New York, the San Jose Sharks took 22 shots on goal in the first period and managed a single goal off the effort.
The period ended 1-1 with the Rangers netting one goal off three shots.
Jesper Fast had two goals for the Rangers – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“You couldn’t have a better first period than we had,” San Jose coach Bob Boughner said. “I thought that we threw a lot at [Shesterkin], a lot of chances. … The personnel that we have in there, we have to almost play a perfect or near-to-perfect game when you are only scoring one or two a night.”
In the end, Igor Shesterkin made 44 saves altogether to help New York down the Sharks 3-2.
Joe Thornton collected two goals, his first road goals in 50 games.
“The (first) one, [Timo Meier] just made a nice play and I just kind of pounded it, and the second one, [Burns’] shot just tipped off my knee pad, so just at the right place at the right time,” Thornton said.
Shesterkin in 9-1-0 in his first 10 NHL games.
“It feels great,” Shesterkin said. “I like when there’s a lot of shots, but it doesn’t matter how many shots there are, you always have to be prepared and help the team win.”
Jesper Fast struck for two goals including the game-winner early in the third period.
“I just drived to the net,” Fast said. “Tried to take [the defenseman] with me, and somehow I was wide alone, and I think I had one, two three whacks at it, so it was a good bounce.”
Mika Zibanejad‘s second period goal knotted the game at 2-2.
“It was a really good stick on a forecheck, and I was actually going to meet him — I think it was Kane who had the puck — I was going to meet him on the other side, and then I see the poke from [Panarin] and the puck found me this time, and it was nice,” Zibanejad said.
New York has won seven of eight to push themselves into the thick of the wild card race in the Eastern Conference.
“You’re not going to play 82 great games at this time of year,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said. “You have to find a way to win, and I give our guys a lot of credit. They really weren’t happy after the first period and nobody was feeling good about what was going on, and we were able to grind our way through it.”
[WATCH: All Sharks vs. Rangers highlights]
Aaron Dell made 30 saves in the hard luck loss.
“I thought I played fairly good most of the time,” Dell said. “They had a couple decent chances, especially in the second (period), a breakaway and a penalty shot and stuff, but I felt pretty good about my game.”
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