"Incoming trade request": Rangers fans react as Igor Shesterkin obliterates hockey stick in anger after 14th home loss

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin unleashed his frustration following a 4-1 defeat to the visiting Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden on Monday, marking the team's 14th home loss this season.

As Shesterkin skated toward the locker room after the final buzzer, he repeatedly slammed his stick against the boards and bench area before ultimately breaking it into pieces.

It was a rare outburst from the typically calm and composed Vezina Trophy winner.

One tweeted:

"Incoming trade request."

Another chimed in:

"Guy's been carrying this team on his back all season, and getting hung out to dry on breakdowns is brutal."

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

"Considering he’s the highest paid goalie in the history of the league I’m sure he can afford to buy some new ones," a third fan wrote. "He's pissed he's not living up to his contract. Meanwhile goalies make much less than him are," one X user opined. "Let’s overpay a goalie who will never see a Stanley Cup final thanks to a lousy team in front of him that we can’t afford to improve on," another posted. "They have the some problems has Montreal. It’s difficult to perform well when it’s every time seeing a showtime… some can handle the pressure," another chimed in.

How Anaheim Ducks down New York Rangers?

After a scoreless first period, Jackson LaCombe opened the scoring for the Ducks with a short-handed goal at 7:18 of the second period. Matthew Robertson tied it 1-1 for the Rangers late in the second period.

Cutter Gauthier scored on the power play to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead at 5:51 of the third period. He added an empty-net goal at 19:38 to make it 3-1, and Pavel Mintyukov scored with less than three seconds remaining for the 4-1 final.

The Rangers continue their home stand against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The puck at Madison Square Garden drops at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta