Sunday’s Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins produced a stunning result to cap off a thrilling game. Anyone hoping that Monday’s seventh game between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils would match that excitement came away sorely disappointed.
After a scoreless first period, the Devils opened up a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the second period. New Jersey added a pair of goals in the third period. New York, meanwhile, could do nothing against goalie Akira Schmid and the Devils came away with a 4-0 win.
So, can the Rangers blame the play of their goalie, Igor Shesterkin, for the loss? Not according to New York coach, Gerard Gallant.
Following the game, Gallant sang the praises of his goalie, noting that as bad as it was, it could have been even worse.
“It could have been 7-2,” he said, per Greg Wyshynski of ESPN. “Shesty was really good.”
“It could have been 7-2. Shesty was really good.” – Gerard Gallant
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 2, 2023
On one hand, this seemed like an admirable comment, with a coach defending one of his best players after a tough loss. On the other, Galant made himself and the rest of his team vulnerable to even more criticism.
It’s easy enough to understand how the four goals Shesterkin allowed could have and probably should have been worse. But the Rangers didn’t lose 4-2 — they lost 4-0. With that, many fans were left wondering exactly how New York was going to score a pair of goals.
Trying to figure out where the 2 came from https://t.co/BeaeTwgdyG pic.twitter.com/bdi8BDYfCC
— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) May 2, 2023
Shesty scoring goals now too because I dunno where those two goals are coming from https://t.co/gVkOroi7xl
— 🌻Linda Surovich🌻 (@LindaSurovich) May 2, 2023
https://twitter.com/KBarker_NU/status/1653238751202533377
those goals were expected by WHOM???? https://t.co/9qvMqf1rIw
— Juliana Nikac (@juliananikac) May 2, 2023
You weren’t scoring 2 Gerard https://t.co/E2CFsrjXgo
— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) May 2, 2023
I love the idea that if their Rangers' goaltending was worse, they would've scored two more goals of their own somehow, on a night where they got shut out in a Game 7 https://t.co/ko7i0uy48N
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) May 2, 2023
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