WASHINGTON (AP) — Boone Jenner scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Washington Capitals beat the Rangers 3-1 on Friday night after New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin was helped off the ice with a leg injury.
Jenner picked off an errant pass and beat backup Dylan Garand with a wrist shot from the slot to make it 2-1 with 2:22 remaining in the second. Timothy Liljegren also scored for the Capitals, and Tom Wilson added an empty-netter
with less than a second left. Logan Thompson made 21 saves.
Alexis Lafreniere scored on a first-period power play for the Rangers, who had won four in a row. It was his fourth goal this season — all in the past two games.
Lafreniere's hat trick in Tuesday night's 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders included a pair of empty-net goals.
Jenner's go-ahead goal came directly off a turnover in the defensive zone by 20-year-old rookie Cole Beaudoin, a top prospect playing his second NHL game. Beaudoin was drafted by Utah in the first round and traded to New York last summer in a deal for Vincent Trocheck.
Garand made 11 saves after entering midway through the second to replace Shesterkin, who stopped 13 shots.
Shesterkin had to be helped off the ice after an awkward fall. He came well out of his crease to challenge a shooter and fell as he scrambled back to the net. The 30-year-old Russian jammed his right skate into the right post as he slid back into the crease and then collapsed into the cage in pain.
Shesterkin stayed down for several minutes holding his right knee as he received medical attention. He did not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice by teammates.
The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner missed a month last season with a lower-body injury, contributing to the Rangers finishing last in the Eastern Conference.
Shesterkin was off to a strong start this season with a 3-1 record and 1.76 goals-against average. Last week, he became the first Rangers goalie to score a goal when he lofted the puck the length of the ice into an empty net late in New York's home opener against Tampa Bay.
Rangers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
Capitals: Host the Seattle Kraken on Sunday.
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