Capitals Beat Rangers 3-1 After Shesterkin Leaves Injured

Boone Jenner scored his first goal with the Washington Capitals and Timothy Liljegren also scored as Washington beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Friday night after Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin left with a lower-body injury, the Associated Press reported. NHL.com confirmed the same final, Jenner’s go-ahead goal and Shesterkin’s mid-game exit at Capital One Arena.

Alexis Lafreniere opened the scoring on a first-period power play for New York, which had won four straight. It was his fourth goal of the season — all in the past two games — after a hat trick Tuesday against the Islanders that included two empty-netters, the AP said. Liljegren, acquired from San Jose on March 6, tied the game 1-1 at 6:08 of the second with a one-timer from the left point through a screen, NHL.com reported.

Shesterkin left at 8:20 of the second. Both accounts said he scrambled back toward the crease, jammed his right skate into the right post and collapsed; he stayed down holding his right knee and was helped off without putting weight on the leg. He had stopped 13 of 14 shots before Dylan Garand replaced him and made 11 saves. There was no update on Shesterkin’s condition after the game, NHL.com and the AP said.

Jenner made it 2-1 at 17:38 of the second, intercepting an errant clearing attempt by Rangers rookie Cole Beaudoin and beating Garand from the slot with 2:22 left in the period. The AP noted Beaudoin was playing his second NHL game after arriving from Utah in a deal involving Vincent Trocheck. Tom Wilson added an empty-netter with less than a second remaining. Logan Thompson stopped 21 shots for Washington.

Jenner signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Capitals on July 1, NHL.com reported. Washington improved to 3-1-0 and 3-0-0 against Metropolitan Division opponents; the Rangers fell to 4-2-0. Coach Mike Sullivan called Shesterkin “arguably your very best player” and said the injury was a tough loss for the group, while captain J.T. Miller described a hard-fought Metro matchup against a big, fast opponent.

Context around the crease matters for New York. The AP recalled that the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner missed about a month last season with a lower-body injury and entered Friday 3-1 with a 1.76 goals-against average. NHL.com’s injury note separately said backup Joonas Korpisalo remains week to week with a lower-body injury, leaving the Rangers thin if Shesterkin’s absence stretches. Washington hosts Seattle on Sunday; New York hosts Vancouver the same day, the AP reported.

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Verification: Final score, Jenner/Liljegren/Wilson goals, Lafreniere opener, Shesterkin exit details, Garand/Thompson save totals, Beaudoin turnover framing, next games and Shesterkin’s early-season form come from the Associated Press (Oct. 9–10, 2026). Jenner’s first Capitals goal timing, Liljegren’s first Capitals goal, Jenner contract AAV, Metro record notes and Sullivan/Miller quotes are from NHL.com (Harvey Valentine, Oct. 10, 2026).