Whenever the New York Rangers need Jonathan Quick he always comes through.
With the Rangers heading into the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday night, Peter Laviolette called upon Quick to start who hadn’t played in three weeks.
The 39-year-old delivered in a big way, recording 21 saves on 22 shots while propelling the Rangers to a 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
The Blueshirts are in the midst of an intense playoff push where every point matters, which is why Igor Shesterkin started a career-high nine games before Saturday night.
However, that doesn't mean the Rangers don’t have faith in Quick. Peter Laviolette had only positive things to say about the veteran goalie following his impressive performance.
“To watch him jump in like that, that’s him, he’s a pro,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “He’s been doing it his whole career, but to jump in and give us an effort like he did tonight, I thought was really good.
“I thought we played well in front of him, but there’s a lot of talent on the other team, and there’s always opportunities that need to be stopped.”
Earlier this month, Quick signed a one-year, $1.55 million extension with the Rangers, etching his spot as the backup goalie for next season.
Quick likely won’t start many more games this season, but if he is needed, he’ll be ready.
