Shesterkin Exits Capitals Game With Apparent Leg Injury

Igor Shesterkin left the Rangers' game versus the Washington Capitals on Friday, October 9, 2026, in the second period with 11:40 left and the score 1-1. Scrambling outside the crease on a power play, he jammed his right skate into the goalpost while sliding and lunging into a split back to the crease, then collapsed and stayed down several minutes. Teammates and trainers helped him off; he put no weight on his right leg. He had stopped 13 of 14 shots after entering 3-1-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average. Dylan Garand took over in net. Joonas Korpisalo and Spencer Martin were already out with lower-body injuries. The Rangers entered on a four-game winning streak. Garand had 22 saves in a 2-0 win at Detroit on Oct. 2. CONTESTED: no disputes found in record. No diagnosis was announced. Reports called the injury lower-body or apparent leg and noted the lack of weight-bearing on exit. One described Shesterkin as day-to-day and said limited depth could mean heavy starts for Garand or a trade pursuit if he misses time. Severity and return timeline remain unresolved.