Jonathan Quick finally earns first win as full-time Rangers starter to end five-game drought
Jonathan Quick’s first stretch as the Rangers starting goaltender — taking over for an injured Igor Shesterkin — had been filled with struggles.An 0-5-0 record entering Monday’s game against the Bruins.
A .795 save percentage, too.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
But Quick finally did enough to pick up his first win since Nov.7 and his first since Shesterkin landed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury earlier this month, making 21 saves during their 4-3 overtime victory.
He also moved past Glenn Hall and into 12th place in NHL history with 408 career wins, which head coach Mike Sullivan called an “incredible achievement.”“I just think that speaks volumes for his body [of] work in this league,” Sullivan said of Quick moving past Hall.“He means a lot to this team.
He’s a great leader.He competes extremely hard.
He’s one of the more popular guys in our dressing room for good reason.I just think all of us that are a part of this team have so much respect for what he’s accomplished in this game and his passion for the game as he continues to strive for excellence every single day.”Quick had been pulled on two different occasions with Shesterkin out, but he bounced back after allowing two goals early in the second period Monday that gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead.
And with Shesterkin still on injured reserve and just skating on his own, the Blueshirts will need to continue relying on Quick — who turned 40 on Jan.21 — until their $92 million star returns.“His work ethic is impressive to watch day in and day out, and I think that speaks to his ability to play at such a high level at the age that he’s at,” Sullivan said.
“That’s not easy to do.Couldn’t be happier for him because he’s competing hard for us.”The six-game absence was filled with frustration.
At the time the Rangers decided to remove him from...