Igor Shesterkin shook his head like a reflex, indicating that he didn’t want to talk about it. 

The Rangers’ star goalie had just been asked about the news that he had been named a Vezina Trophy finalist and a Hart Trophy finalist — NHL awards given to the top goaltender in the league and its MVP respectively — after his first full 82-game regular season. 

“Right now, it doesn’t matter for me,” Shesterkin said after he posted 31 saves in the Rangers’ 5-3 win over the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Friday night to force Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. “Regular season is over. Right now, just playoff games.” 

That’s the competitive spirit that everybody who has crossed paths with Shesterkin in his hockey career talks about. It’s his eyes-on-the-prize mentality that the rest of his Rangers teammates feed off of. 

Still, there were some hiccups this postseason. Shesterkin allowed the stage to get too big for him in Games 3 and 4 at PPG Paints Arena, where the jeering fans seemingly got in his head a bit. He admitted it was difficult. After all, Shesterkin’s playoff résumé is just seven games long after Sunday night (not including his one game in the 2020 bubble playoffs). 

As tremendous as his NHL-leading .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals-against average were, among goaltenders with at least 50 starts, the playoffs are where legacies are made. And in his first legitimate postseason series, Shesterkin lost two of three games on the road. 

The Rangers in front of him certainly played a major role in it, but there were times when Shesterkin didn’t look anything like he did in the regular season. On the other hand, he did set a franchise record with 79 saves in their triple-overtime loss in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden. 

As for his thoughts on the fans in Pittsburgh, who had their ‘IIII-GORRR!’ chants on a timer this series, Shesterkin has seemingly already moved on after winning there in Game 6. 

“When they say ‘Igor,’ I just say, ‘OK,’  ” he said. 

His teammates have accepted all of the responsibility for the team’s performances in Games 3 and 4, in which Shesterkin was pulled in both games as the Penguins outscored the Rangers, 14-6. Gerard Gallant didn’t hesitate to confirm that Shesterkin would be back in net for Game 5 because he’s the “best goalie in the league,” the Rangers head coach said. 

Shesterkin made a point to thank his coach for believing in him when reflecting on how he shook off Games 3 and 4. He said as soon as a game ends, he just tries to forget about it, win or lose. 

“That’s Igor,” Chris Kreider said after Game 6. “He’s a competitor, done it all year for us. Done it at every level he’s played at. He battles, that’s what he does. He’s been our best player all year and he continues to be our best player.” 

Added Artemi Panarin after practice Saturday: “We have full confidence in him and he has full confidence in himself.” 

Shesterkin has laid down the foundation for a legacy in the NHL. The next step is consistently rising to the challenge in the playoffs. 

“None of us were happy with the way things were going with our team and it was more of our team, than Igor,” Gallant said. “Like I said, there was some deflection goals that he didn’t like, we didn’t like, but overall, he’s been outstanding. I mean, he’s our MVP. We always talk about it, he’s really sound and really solid. So we’re real comfortable with our goaltending that’s for sure.”