Igor Shesterkin, the goaltender for the New York Rangers, opened the NHL season with a standout performance against the Calgary Flames. He stopped all 30 shots directed at his net, marking the first time this season he posted a shutout. The game unfolded at Madison Square Garden in New York, and the Rangers secured a 2-0 victory on home ice.
The second star of the matchup was Will Cuile, a Canadian forward for the Rangers, who added a goal to his team’s total. The third star went to Jakob Markström of the Flames, the Swedish goalie who finished with 29 saves despite the loss.
Midway through the second period, Artemi Panarin, a forward from Russia on the Rangers, engaged in a skirmish with Martin Pospisil, a forward from Slovakia on the Flames. The exchange of blows sparked a series of collisions and a tense pause in play, culminating in a mass altercation that required referees to step in and separate the players to prevent a broader confrontation.
With the win, the Rangers extended their winning streak to five games in the regular season. They sit in second place in the Eastern Conference standings with 71 points after 53 games, while Calgary remains in tenth in the Western Conference with 55 points.
Across the league, teams continue to monitor top performers and emerging narratives, as early-season meetings like this one help sculpt playoff race dynamics and the evolving power balance between the conferences.