Scary moment surfaced from the New York Rangers practice as Igor Shesterkin was left shaken up

During Saturday morning's practice, Igor Shesterkin took a puck up high, striking him in the mask and neck area during a drill. The impact immediately caused concern as Shesterkin stayed down momentarily and appeared to be in visible discomfort on the ice.

Trainers rushed over and evaluated Shesterkin at the bench, bringing him ice while checking the area around his neck. Any shot near that region raises alarms, especially for goaltenders, and practice briefly slowed as teammates looked on.

Fortunately for the Rangers, the scare did not turn into something more serious. After being examined by the training staff and head coach Mike Sullivan, Shesterkin was cleared to continue practicing and remained on the ice for the rest of the session.

Shesterkin has already carried a massive workload this season, and his importance to the Rangers cannot be overstated. Through 30 appearances this year, the 29-year-old has consistently faced heavy shot volumes while keeping the team competitive during uneven stretches.

Any injury, even a minor one, would have been devastating given the Rangers current situation. With the team already missing key pieces at different points this season, losing Shesterkin would have pushed the roster into dangerous territory.

If there had been any real concern, Shesterkin would have been pulled immediately. Instead, the Rangers treated it as a precautionary evaluation, nothing more.

Still, moments like this are reminders of how fragile a season can feel. One puck, one awkward bounce, and everything changes.