Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin pulled away in the second period after allowing five goals against the Sabers

NEW YORK (AP) — Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was drawn in the second period against the Buffalo sabers on Thursday night after allowing five goals on 12 shots.

The 28-year-old Russian, who entered the game with a 6-2-1 and a 2.22 goals average, allowed a goal by the Sabers captain Rasmus Dahlin 26 seconds into the game.

He then gave up four goals in the second period – including three in a span of 2:12 – as the Sabers took a 5-0 lead. Dylan Cozens, Tag Thompson, Jordan Greenway And Sam Lafferty scored in the middle period before Shesterkin was replaced by Jonathan Snel with 6:09 left after Lafferty scored.

The Sabers defeated the Rangers 6-1.

“It really happened in the second,” Rangers defenseman and captain Jacob Trouba said. “Our goalkeeper has more or less kept us in this situation for the first twelve games. We have to be better and give up fewer quality opportunities.”

The Rangers, who have fallen to 8-3-1 on the season, won in large part because of Shesterkin’s stellar play.

“That certainly wasn’t our best,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “We let it dry outside. It’s not good enough.”

Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 2021-22 when he was 36-13-4 with a 2.07 goals average. He won 37 games in 2022-23 and 36 last season as the Rangers finished with the NHL’s best record.

Shesterkin is in the final season of a four-year contract worth $22.67 million and there is talk he wants to become the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history.

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