GREENBURG, NY – Barclay Goodrow, like everyone else with Tampa Bay Lightning and beyond, highlighted Andrei Vassilevsky as the best goalkeeper in the world, the only one you would want in your net in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Oh, how this story about Goodrow has changed.
“I’ll take Sixth all day,” he said.
Of course, he will take Igor Shesterkin. Goodrow is in his first season as a striker for the New York Rangers after winning the Stanley Cup with Lightning in the last two years, so he has to go with his man.
It’s not like anyone can say he’s wrong, especially considering the season the Rangers goalkeeper has had and how he has performed in the playoffs so far.
We will find out soon whether Goodrow is right and whether Vassilevsky will have to pass on the best name in the world to Shesterkin.
The Goalkeepers’ Meeting is the main storyline and point of conversation heading to the final of the Eastern Conference between Rangers and Lightning. Game 1 is at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (20:00 ET; ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS).
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“The best two goalkeepers in the world play against each other,” said Rangers striker Chris Crider.
Vassilevski is the incumbent president, the consistent winner of the Stanley Cup, as close to a safe thing as the NHL.
“We know what we have in our man,” said Lightning captain Stephen Stamkos.
Vassilevski came out of four games of the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Eastern Conference, when he conceded three goals in 154 shots for 0.75 goals – an average of 0.981 percent of the save. He is 8-3 with 2.22 GAA and 0.932 percent saves in two rounds this postseason. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season, selected as MVP of the playoffs, when he was 16-7 with five outs, 1.90 GAA and 0.937 percent save.
Video: FLA @ TBL, Gm3: Vassilevski saves Mamin
Of the playoffs in 2020, Vassilevski is 42-17 with seven breaks, 1.96 GAA and 0.932 percent rescue. He quickly became one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the playoffs, with a saving rate of 0.925 equal to third place with Dominic Hasek, Tuuca Rusk and Jean-Sebastian Giger among goalkeepers who have played at least 50 games.
“It’s the same as usual,” Vassilevski said. “I have to step up and show them my best game.”
Shesterkin does it too. This is to be expected so far, as his game has put him in the best conversation in the world. He was 36-13-4 with a 2.07 GAA, a .935 save and six rebounds in the regular season and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy, given to the most valuable player and best goalkeeper in the NHL, respectively.
Shesterkin has never won a Stanley Cup like Vassilevsky, but he is the biggest reason the Rangers are halfway, winning eight of his 14 playoffs, starting with 2.68 GAA and .928 percent save. He is 7-3 with a 2.09 GAA and a .939 percent save from Game 5 of the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, including a 5-0 save percentage of .930 in the elimination games.
“Something that is underestimated is how he understands the game,” said Rangers striker Ryan Straw. “His hockey IQ is, I would say, one of the highest on our team and I don’t think I’ve said that about a goalkeeper on my team before, with all due respect. What I mean is that he can read the game so intelligently and predict where the puck will be, and that helps him a lot, obviously. And his ability to play with the puck is amazing. “
Video: NYR @ CAR, Gm7: Shesterkin blocks with a finger once
But Shesterkin is catching up with Vassilevsky. The Lightning goalkeeper is 17 months older (Vassilevski was born on July 25, 1994; Shesterkin on December 30, 1995) and has already played another 265 regular-season games (365-100) and another 77 playoff games. (92-15). He won the Vezina trophy in 2018-19 and was a finalist three other times, but not this season.
Of course, Vassilevski also won the Stanley Cup and the Con Smythe Trophy twice.
“Vassilevsky has his own experience, he speaks for himself,” said Rangers defender Adam Fox. “I think the Sixth is doing the same. What he has done this year is insanely impressive, definitely two good goalkeepers come together and I have great faith in the Sixth. “
In addition to the story, they also know each other. Shesterkin was a three-time goalkeeper for Russia at the 2017 IIHF World Cup. Vassilevsky was number one.
“I was on the bench,” the Rangers goalkeeper said with a smile.
He will be in the other net on Wednesday, trying to push the Rangers past the two-time defending champions and end Lightning’s 10-game winning streak and possibly take on the world’s best nickname at the same time.
The only problem, Vassilevski showed no signs of letting him go.
“He is the best goalkeeper in the world right now,” said Shesterkin.
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