Post-whistle skirmishes are a regular occurrence in the NHL. However, it's not every day you witness a star goaltender like Igor Shesterkin jump into the fray.

During the New York Rangers' dominant 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, Shesterkin made headlines not just for his shutout performance but also for his surprising involvement in a third-period altercation. With the Rangers comfortably ahead 3-0 and just under 13 minutes left in regulation, a seemingly routine play escalated quickly.

The incident began when Senators captain Brady Tkachuk pursued a loose puck near the Rangers' net, colliding with Shesterkin and sending him sprawling. The Rangers' players on the ice immediately defended their goaltender, converging on Tkachuk. The Senators, in turn, rallied around their captain, resulting in a full-team shoving match. Shesterkin initially remained in his crease, seemingly collecting himself, but as the scrum began to dissipate, he unexpectedly charged towards Tkachuk.

Tkachuk responded by punching at Shesterkin's helmet, knocking him down. Shesterkin retaliated with a swing of his blocker. With Tkachuk restrained by Rangers forward Matt Rempe, the two continued to jostle before officials intervened and separated them. As Shesterkin was being escorted away, Rempe, known for his willingness to fight, engaged with Tkachuk. A referee prevented a full-blown fight, despite both players throwing punches around him.

The officials assessed a flurry of penalties following the incident. Shesterkin received a minor penalty for leaving the crease, while Rempe and Tkachuk each received double-minors for roughing. Tkachuk also received a penalty for goalie interference. Senators center Shane Pinto was also penalized for roughing Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren. The Rangers capitalized on the ensuing power play, with Artemi Panarin extending their lead to 4-0. Goals from Lafrenière, Kaliyev, Rempe, Panarin, and Cuylle secured the decisive victory for the Rangers, who have significantly improved their playoff prospects with a strong recent record (7-1-3 in their last 11 games) after a challenging December.

This marked Shesterkin's second consecutive shutout, stopping all 20 shots faced. The Rangers will look to continue their winning streak against the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Senators will face the Boston Bruins, both games scheduled for Thursday evening.