In less than an hour, the Rangers will play their second game of the season when they do battle with the Blue Jackets at Columbus.

It’s a good chance to start the Peter Laviolette era with two wins. If they pay attention to the details as they had in a convincing 5-1 victory at Buffalo in the season opener, then it’ll likely go well.

Igor Shesterkin was good on Thursday, making 24 saves on 25 shots. The lone goal came off the stick of J.J. Peterka, who had a Jacob Trouba blocked shot, rebound right to him for the Sabres goal.

Without question, the 27-year-old Shesterkin is one of the best goalies in the world. A former Vezina winner who’s won a combined 73 games the previous two seasons, he’s a big difference maker in the net for the Blueshirts. The kind that can steal games. Similar to franchise legend and soon to be Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist.

Shesterkin has only been a full-time starter for three seasons. However, it should be noted that during the 2020-21 season, his first year as a starter was under a shortened schedule. The victory the other night was number 100 of his still young NHL career. He’s in his prime, which means more is ahead.

With the early part of the schedule allowing the Rangers to have off days, it would be wise if Laviolette decided to ride his starter for a stretch. Every win and point counts just the same now as in March and April. A message former bench boss Gerard Gallant didn’t always value by making some questionable goaltending decisions that made you roll your eyes.

After tonight’s game, the Rangers return for the home opener on Monday night when they host the Coyotes. They then will have another two days off before the Predators visit next Thursday.

Once they complete the brief two-game home stand at MSG, they’ll travel to the Pacific and Northwest for road games at Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Every game is spaced out enough for Laviolette to consider playing Shesterkin.

When they leave the West Coast, they’ll conclude a five-game road swing in Winnipeg on All Hallows Eve. By then, Jonathan Quick probably will dust off his number 32 jersey as a member of the Rangers. Something that’s still hard to get used to. Hopefully, by then, the Kings’ legend will have gotten out the cobwebs.

It’s hard to say when Laviolette will decide to use Quick. Obviously, he didn’t look too sharp in preseason. But neither did Alexis Lafreniere. It’s still a concern that Chris Drury felt that the declining 37-year-old veteran was the best option to back up Shesterkin. Hopefully, those thoughts can be eased by November. If not, then there might be an issue.

For the Rangers’ ace, it’s full steam ahead. Shesterkin wasn’t pleased with his performance in 2022-23. He found it hard to live up to the high standards he set for himself. However, it wasn’t all his fault. The way the team played in front of him made one wonder if defense and backchecking were ever emphasized during practice. Eventually, that lack of discipline resulted in a bitter ending.

If the Blueshirts can stick to Laviolette’s system, which emphasizes a 1-3-1 neutral zone trap, it’ll be harder for opponents to find operating space. The Sabres were no match for the strict defensive system. They kept turning over pucks, fueling the Rangers’ transition. It was refreshing to see them on the other side for a change. It might not be pretty, but it’ll make life easier. Especially for Shesterkin.

They’ll be on the road often over the first month. There aren’t any back-to-back sets until after Thanksgiving. They’ll face the Flyers on Black Friday and then turn around to take on the Bruins. Both are 1 PM starts. That probably will be a scenario where both Shesterkin and Quick play.

We’ll see how Laviolette handles the goalies. For the time being, he should go with the player who gives his team the best chance to win.

Derek

Twitter: NewYorkPuck

Email: kovy274hart@yahoo.com