The New York Rangers listed goaltender Igor Shesterkin as day to day with a mild groin strain, a seemingly positive development after it looked as if the injury was more serious.
Shesterkin left a 6-1 victory at the New Jersey Devils with six minutes left when he stretched to make a save on a 2-on-1 break. The young Russian went down without contact and had to helped off the ice, dragging his right leg.
Coach David Quinn said Friday that Shesterkin was seeing doctors and was optimistic the injury was not a long-term problem. Alexandar Georgiev is set to start for the Rangers on Saturday afternoon against New Jersey with former Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid expected to back up.
New York is getting forward Kaapo Kakko back for that game after he missed almost two weeks with COVID-19. The 20-year-old Finn said he was “sick a little bit but not too bad.”
Kakko skated with the team Thursday and Friday and is back with old linemates Chris Kreider and Ryan Strome.
“I was out 12 days and right now I’m feeling better and I’m ready to go,” Kakko said.
The Rangers are still without winger Artemi Panarin who took a leave of absence after a Russian tabloid printed allegations from a former coach that he attacked a woman in Latvia almost a decade ago, which Panarin denies.
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