It’s a quiet week for the New York Rangers, with only two games on the schedule.

Igor Shesterkin can take advantage of the three days of rest between a 5-2 victory against the New York Islanders Sunday and a visit from the Buffalo Sabers on Thursday; The 28-year-old goalkeeper was criticized for most of last week despite winning two out of three games. He faced 46, 41 and 37 shots in his three starts, losing 5-3 at Washington on Tuesday before defeat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 at Madison Square Garden on Friday and take the win against the Isles on Sunday afternoon.

Rangers enter new week head the metropolitan division with 17 points (8-2-1), one more than the Carolina Hurricanes, who played one game less. Their plus-20 goal differential is the best in the Eastern Conference and second in the NHL behind the Winnipeg Jets (plus-29).

New York scored at even strength, on the power play and on the penalty kill in the same game Sunday for the first time since March 26 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Adam Edstrom’s third-period goal on Sunday made him the 16th different goalscorer for Rangers this season.

Who is hot

Shesterkin was beyond fantastic last week; his play was the only reason the Rangers won two of their three games. He allowed seven goals on 124 shots (.944 save percentage), kept the Rangers competitive in the loss at Washington, robbed the Rangers of a victory against Ottawa and allowed two goals on 37 shots against the Islanders. The price of a new contract keeps increasing.

Artemi Panarin continues to score points. He scored the first goal in the victory against the Senators and scored two more against the Islanders, giving him the team leader in goals (9), assists (9) and points (18). Panarin already has three multi-goal games and his next point will be the 800th of his NHL career.

Vincent Trocheck had a week which perhaps wasn’t great but which saw him reach a milestone; his goal Sunday was the 200th of his NHL career.

Who is not

K’Andre Miller has spent most of the season in the top defensive pairing with Adam Fox, although his struggles last week saw him replaced by Ryan Lindgren, Fox’s long-time partner. Despite averaging an NHL career-high 22:43 of ice time this seasonMiller only managed two points (one goal, one assist) in 11 games. He is scoreless and minus-2 since recording his only assist of the season on October 19.

Related: Jimmy Vesey “completed” the 4th line back in the Rangers lineup

This week’s Rangers preview includes…

A two-game week comes after a three-day break in the schedule. The Rangers face the Detroit Red Wings for the third (and final) time in their first 13 games this season.

Buffalo Sabers vs. Rangers (November 7, 7 p.m. ET; MSG)

Buffalo enters its only appearance at the Garden looking much better on paper than in the standings (4-7-1 after losing to the Islanders and Red Wings back-to-back last weekend). The Sabres’ special teams have been a nightmare: Buffalo enters the week 31st in power play at 8.6 percent (3-for-31, with two shorthanded goals allowed) and 27th in penalty kill (71.8 percent; 11 in 39). ).

The Sabers have talented young players like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, but they are still trying to put the pieces together as they strive to end the longest playoff streak in NHL history. Buffalo hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2011. The Rangers are 7-1-1 against the Sabers in their last nine visits to MSG.

Rangers at Detroit Red Wings (November 9, 7 p.m. ET; MSG)

New York topped Detroit 9-3 in sweeping a home-and-home game against the Red Wings in mid-October, including a 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena on October 17. The Red Wings enter the week 5-5-1 and are trying to end their own long playoff drought; their last trip to the playoffs was in 2016. The Rangers have won five straight against the Red Wings and are 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings. Shesterkin has never lost to the Red Wings in regulation; he is 5-0-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and one shutout in six games.

John Kreiser covered his first Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and still continues… Read more John Kreiser

Mentioned in this article: Artemi Panarin buffalo swords Detroit Red Wings Igor Shesterkin K’Andre Miller Vincent Trocheque

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