Shesterkin helps Rangers defeat Bruins in nine-round shootout

NEW YORK -- K'Andre Miller scored the winner in the ninth round of the shootout, and Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves to help the New York Rangers to a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

It was Miller's first shootout attempt in 101 NHL games.
"A little nervous there, but it all worked out," Miller said. "Coach kind of turned to me when their guy was up and I was like, 'Really, you want me to go, am I hearing this right?' But it was a fun opportunity and I'm glad I made the most out of it."
Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad also scored in the shootout for New York. Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk scored for Boston.
Shesterkin did not allow a goal to the last six shooters he faced in the shootout after returning to the ice following a brief exit in the final 41 seconds. He made three saves in overtime but was pulled at 4:19 for concussion protocol and replaced by Alexandar Georgiev.

Shesterkin was hit hard by Craig Smith at 2:48, the result being a goalie interference penalty on the Bruins forward and a roughing minor on Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere for retaliating.
Shesterkin was pulled at the next stoppage in play and slammed his stick against the boards as he left.
"I thought he was done," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "The next thing I know I see him coming out and the trainer said to one of our coaches on the headset that he's coming back out."
Shesterkin returned at the start of the shootout with the fans on their feet and many chanting his name.
"The team's medical staff came up to me and they gave me a questionnaire and I filled it out pretty quickly," Shesterkin said. "Luckily I got out in time to make all those saves in the shootout."
He said he was motivated by the fan reaction when he returned.
"The stands just gave me so much energy that I couldn't do anything else but save the game," Shesterkin said.
Filip Chytil scored for New York (31-13-4), which was playing its first game in 14 days.

Coyle scored, and Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves for Boston (27-16-4), which played its third game without forwards Patrice Bergeron (head) and Brad Marchand (suspended).
"Both goalies were very good tonight," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "That's why it ended up 1-1 probably, a lot of good stops."
Chytil tied it 1-1 at 6:45 of the third period. He took advantage of Swayman losing control of the puck after making the save on his shot from the right circle. The Rangers forward got the puck, pulled it around Swayman's left pad and tucked it into the net.
"I saw it in and then it trickled out," Swayman said. "Obviously, I want that save back."
Shesterkin kept it tied at 8:42, when he made a glove save against Taylor Hall on a breakaway.
Coyle gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 3:39 of the first period, scoring on a rebound of Smith's shot.
Barclay Goodrow attempted a drop pass from the neutral zone across the Rangers blue line, but Coyle intercepted it and pased to Smith in transition. Shesterkin saved Smith's shot, but Coyle was able to knock the puck over the goalie's glove.
"We wanted to jump on them early and get the lead right away," Coyle said. "They had their pushes and all that, but 'Sways' played great."

Swayman made a left-pad save on Ryan Strome's redirection from the slot 41 seconds into the second period. He made 15 saves in the period after the Rangers had two shots on goal in the first.
"We hadn't had body contact for two weeks and hadn't played a game, so there was some rust in the first period," Gallant said. "It wasn't that bad. They had, I think, two scoring chances, and we had one from what I saw, so it wasn't brutal, but it wasn't what we wanted. I thought the second and third were real good."
Neither team could score on power-play opportunities in the final 5:16 of the third period, and Swayman stopped Panarin on a breakaway in overtime.
"It was awesome," Swayman said of playing at Madison Square Garden. "It's a huge rivalry. My dad grew up in Brooklyn, so it was pretty cool being in the Garden for the first time knowing he was here when he was younger. Definitely a sentimental game for me, but coming out with one point isn't as satisfying so I can't wait to come back and get two."
NOTES: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury. He led New York playing 24:24 and had four shots on goal. … Chytil played 12:35 after missing five games with a lower-body injury. … Bergeron is expected to join the Bruins for practice Wednesday and could play at the New York Islanders on Thursday. … Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk returned after missing one game with an upper-body injury. He had four shots in 19:24.