Rangers get four-goal swing late in second, beat Canucks 6-2 in first game since Shesterkin injury

The New York Rangers carried the momentum of a strong start into their latest home game, beating the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 on Sunday night in their first game since losing goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the season with a knee injury. While the loss is the central story on paper, the Rangers’ response on the ice was more immediate, organized, and productive enough to put the emphasis back on their game.

Ty Kartye and Will Cuylle provided the two-goal thrust New York needed, with each forward notching a pair of scores. Kartye’s second goal snapped a 2-2 tie at 18:25 of the second period, a turning point that helped shift the pace firmly in the Rangers’ favor before the third period. Cuylle’s finishing kept the Canucks from settling into a defensive posture, forcing Vancouver to defend through multiple waves rather than isolate matchups.

Dylan Garand made 19 saves for New York, absorbing the kind of perimeter pressure that can define games when a defense is asked to manage transition moments. The Rangers’ ability to limit high-danger looks in the middle stretches helped Garand’s workload stay steady, and it also allowed New York to take more risks when it had the puck.

The final margin reflected a complete follow-through after the game was even late in the second. After Kartye’s tying break, the Rangers widened the gap enough that Vancouver could not draw the match back toward respectability, even as it sought ways to generate offense and push for momentum plays.

For the Rangers, the result matters beyond the standings column alone. The win extended their strong start at home and offered a blueprint for how they might keep their identity intact while adjusting to the void left by Shesterkin. Starting behind a different goaltending profile often forces teams to tighten their defensive structure, but New York’s scoring output in this game reduced the margin for error and allowed Garand to operate in a more controlled environment.

Vancouver, meanwhile, will need to regroup around consistency. The Canucks had the game tied at 2-2, but they were not able to prevent New York’s next run from extending into the kind of scoreline that typically closes the door on comeback attempts. With the early-season schedule continuing, the focus will shift to tightening defensive coverage and generating more sustained offensive pressure without allowing the opponent to land decisive strikes in sequence.