New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said pulling star goaltender Igor Shesterkin after the first period in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night was meant to spark the team and give the netminder some rest.
The Rangers would go on to lose the game in Pittsburgh 7-4 and now trail the Penguins 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Gallant decided to pull Shesterkin with the Rangers down 4-1 after he stopped 11 of 15 shots.
"Two of them were lucky bounces. It's 4-1 and you want to change momentum.