Shesterkin makes 27 saves for first NHL shutout, Rangers defeat Devils

NEWARK, N.J. -- Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves for the New York Rangers for his first NHL shutout, a 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Tuesday.

"I want to thank all the players who played in front of me and blocked shots, especially at the end when it was so meaningful to me to get this win and the shutout," Shesterkin said after his 36th NHL game. "They did it for me and I'm thankful."
Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and Pavel Buchnevich scored, and Adam Fox had two assists for the Rangers (20-16-6), who have a point in seven of eight games (5-1-2).
New York is fifth in the eight-team MassMutual East Division, four points behind the fourth-place Boston Bruins, who defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday. The Devils are seventh, 16 points behind the Bruins. The top four teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"[The Devils and Sabres] play hard, they have a bunch of guys on their roster trying to prove themselves and they're going to make it very difficult," Rangers coach David Quinn said. "I really believe that how teams in the playoff battles approach their games with Buffalo [and] New Jersey are going to go a long way in determining who makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs."

Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves losing his third straight start for the Devils (14-21-6), who have lost seven of eight.
It was the first of a four-game set. They play Thursday and Saturday at Madison Square Garden and Sunday at Prudential Center.
"I think the only disappointing part to me in a game where we skated well and battled hard was some of our net-front battles for second opportunities, our net-front battles to create screens," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "We've got to get better at that."
Zibanejad gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead when he skated past defenseman Ryan Murray at the Devils blue line and scored on a snap shot from the slot at 7:02 of the first period.
"When the puck goes in, you get a little more confident," Zibanejad said. "I feel like the puck is going in now and that's nice to be able to contribute."
Shesterkin stopped Jesper Bratt with his right pad on a breakaway attempt 22 seconds into the first and denied Miles Wood with his blocker on a breakaway at 4:16 of the second period.
"He's a great goalie and he keeps being great when we need him," Panarin said. "We need him, and I congratulate him with his first shutout."
The rookie goalie again stopped Wood with his left pad on a shot from the left face-off circle on a 2-on-1 with Nico Hischier at 17:09 of the second.
"If you're going to have success at any point, your goalie has to be good," Quinn said. "He's just calm, knows where the net is, doesn't waste a lot of energy, he's competitive, and it's why he's had so much success at every level."
Hischier, the Devils captain, had two shots on goal in 20:58 in his return to the lineup after missing 24 games with a frontal sinus fracture.
"We've got to get guys [to the net] and we've got to get pucks there and try to get one of those dirty goals," Hischier said. "It's frustrating to not get one in, but I just can't wait to play these guys on Thursday."

Panarin scored on a wrist shot from low in the left face-off circle for a 2-0 lead at 7:50 of the third period. Panarin's 138 points (45 goals, 93 assists) in his first 100 games with the Rangers broke Mark Messier's record of 137 (45 goals, 92 assists).
"I knew I played my 100th game, but I didn't think about the points," Panarin said. "I always try to play 100 percent. I'm very thankful for my partners who helped me get to this point."
Buchnevich scored an empty-net goal with 28 seconds remaining for the 3-0 final.
"I thought we played a lot differently [in the third period], and for the first time all year I didn't go in between periods," Quinn said. "[Defenseman Jacob] Trouba kind of took over and maybe that's our new recipe ... me staying out of the locker room."
NOTES:Zibanejad has scored a point in six of his past eight games against the Devils (four goals, four assists). He leads the NHL with 12 goals since March 17 (15 games). ... Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler had two hits in 15:45 in his Devils debut after being acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Sunday. ... Shesterkin is 7-2-2 in his past 11 games. … Bratt had his five-game point streak end (two goals, five assists).