Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin faced numerous defensive breakdowns during their 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night. Despite making 20 saves out of 22 shots, Shesterkin was left to handle multiple odd-man rush attempts due to the team's poor defensive structure and puck management issues. Head coach Mike Sullivan emphasized the need for forwards to build trust with defensemen and maintain positioning during rushes, highlighting four instances in the second period where this discipline was lacking.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The New York Rangers kicked off their 2026-27 NHL season with a 3-0 loss against their rivals, the Boston Bruins, on September 29. Despite generating nearly as many shots (24) as the Bruins, the Rangers struggled defensively and relied heavily on goaltender Igor Shesterkin's 20 saves to keep them in the game until late in the third period when Fraser Minten scored the first goal for Boston. Two more quick goals followed shortly after, securing a decisive win for the Bruins. The loss marks consecutive shutout defeats for the Rangers on opening night. Key defensive errors by players like Braden Schneider highlighted the team's early-season issues.
Written for “Rangers Vs Bruins Season Opener” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
While other NHL players were shaking off the rust following a truncated preseason, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin had no time to do so.
asserted
Shesterkin → shake → time
The Blueshirts abandoned their defensive structure numerous times through the first two periods of their 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night, leaving their star Russian netminder to fend for himself on multiple odd-man rush attempts.
asserted
Blueshirts → abandon → attempts
tRY IT NOWShesterkin, who finished with 20 saves on 22 shots, stood tall for every one of them, before Fraser Minten put the Bruins ahead off a snipe from the high slot late in the third period.
asserted
Minten → try → period
“We turned pucks over in the wrong areas of the rink,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss.
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Sullivan → turn → loss
“I thought we were trying to play a little bit too much East-West, instead of simplifying the game and playing more straight ahead.
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we → think → game
I thought we were standing on pucks instead of moving our feet when we got them.
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we → think → them
When you stand on pucks, the world closes in on you out there.
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world → stand → you
We try to encourage the guys to move our feet.
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We → try → feet
We turn some pucks over and we give them some grade-A looks off those turnovers, and then we gave up too many odd-man rushes.
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we → turn → rushes
I think we gave up three 2-on-1’s in the second period.
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we → think → period
“As I said to the guys after the game, if we want our D to be active off the offensive blue line, off the rush, things of that nature, then as a forward, we have to build a level of trust that we’re going to replace that defenseman, and we’re going to stay out and stay above the attack until the defenseman returns.
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defenseman → say → attack
We would replace, but then we wouldn’t stay out, and then we would leak back in and dive back into the play before the defenseman returned.
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defenseman → replace → play
It happened four times in the second period.
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It → happen → period
“That’s how we gave up the types of odd-man rushes that we gave up.
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we → ’ → that
I think that’s a discipline that we’ve got to develop, and we’ve got to be better about that aspect of our game.”
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we → think → game
Sullivan coached his 1,000th NHL game against the team he started his coaching career with and in the state he grew up in.
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he → coach → state
“I don’t know, I think it just suggests that I’m probably getting older,” the second-year Rangers coach said before the game.
uncertain
coach → know → game
“But, you know, it’s a privilege to coach in this league.
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it → know → league
I’m grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been given along the way.”
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I → ’m → way
Sullivan’s first coaching job was with the AHL’s Providence Bruins in 2002-03, during which he was only one year removed from his playing career.
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he → remove → career
Later in that campaign, however, Sullivan was brought up to the Bruins to serve as an assistant.
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Sullivan → bring → assistant
It turned out to all be an audition for the head coaching position in Boston.
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It → turn → Boston
Sullivan was ultimately named the 25th head coach in Bruins history.
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Sullivan → name → history
Vincent Iorio was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but the 23-year-old defenseman participated in the Rangers morning skate.
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defenseman → place → skate
He was waived in the afternoon.
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He → waive → afternoon
… Scott Morrow, Matthew Robertson and Jaroslav Chmelar served as healthy scratches in Game 1.
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Morrow → serve → Game
… The Rangers enter the season with the second-youngest roster in the NHL with an average age of 26.63.
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Rangers → enter → 26.63
The Aporia
