Igor Shesterkin’s windmill saves have become a signature of the star Russian netminder, but on Saturday night, it was Jonathan Quick who was snatching the puck out of the air in a quick, fluid motion.
The Ducks had just earned what would be their only power play of the game in the second period of a scoreless game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, when the 38-year-old Quick made the save of the night.
With Quick hugging the right post watching Troy Terry close in on him, the Ducks forward then dished to Mason McTavish in the high slot in the middle of the zone for an instant one-timer.
Quick sprawled forward, reached out and gloved it down. It drew a resounding round of applause from the Garden crowd, which erupted into a “QUICK-IE” chant to show its appreciation.
McTavish skated through the blue crease, said something to the Rangers backup goalie and shook his head in disbelief at what was just one spectacular save of Quick’s 32 in the Blueshirts’ 2-1 win over Anaheim.
“He was great,” Ryan Lindgren said. “We gave up too many chances, but that one in the slot — that glove save [on McTavish] — was something. He was tremendous all night.”
If there were any doubt the Rangers had the best goaltending tandem in the NHL, there shouldn’t be anymore.
Sure, the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin are formidable, too.
Their cumulative goaltending statistics last season rounded out at a .913 save percentage, a 2.60 goals-against average and five shutouts.
Shesterkin and Quick hovered around the exact same numbers last regular season, combining for a .912 save percentage, 2.60 GAA and six shutouts.
The NHL has come to expect a certain level of excellence from Shesterkin, who will become the highest-paid goalie in the league’s history between now and next summer.
The fact that Quick has picked up right where he left off last season, however, is what’s allowed the Rangers to be so sturdy in net.
“I thought he was solid — that’s two now for him,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of Quick on Saturday night. “He’s got back-to-back really strong games for us. That’s fantastic coming off not playing for a few days and just being in practice. It shouldn’t surprise anybody. He’s a world-class goalie.”
One look at Quick’s numbers from his final season in Los Angeles and his brief stint in Las Vegas during the 2022-23 season and one would think the Connecticut native was maybe about to hang up the skates.
Posting a combined record of 16-15-6, with a .882 save percentage and a 3.41 goals-against average, Quick had never had worse statistics in a full season in his 18-year NHL career.
The future Hall of Famer instead came to New York and revitalized his storied career, which he cemented even further by becoming the winningest U.S.-born goalie while wearing a Rangers jersey last season.
In 29 games with the Rangers since 2023-24, including his two starts this season, Quick owns a .914 save percentage and a 2.54 goals-against average with two shutouts.
He’s allowed just three goals in the past two games on 64 total shots, giving him a .953 save percentage and a 1.51 goals-against average on the season so far.
Saturday night counted as win No. 395 for Quick, who is now just five away from becoming the first American goalie to reach 400 wins in NHL history.
